INTRODUCTION. 5 



friend must do the same. He has reins in both hands instead 

 of only in his left hand in which latter case he would simply 

 catch hold of his reins behind his left hand with his right 

 hand, shorten them quickly and at once, and pull his horse or 

 pair of horses up with the left hand. Being, however, in the 

 same position as the coachman of the brougham we have just 

 seen, what does he do ? The only thing possible. His hands 

 go up above the top of his hat. But that does not stop his 

 horses, and he leans back and back and back still more. What 

 is the matter with the poor gentleman ? Is he in a fit ? Or 

 does he wish to shake hands with the groom sitting behind 

 him ? Or is there a balloon passing overhead that he wishes 

 to see ? Let our young friend take warning by what he may 

 observe daily in the streets, and say to himself, ' I mean to 

 become a coachman, and I see that to do so I must obey the 

 laws of nature, which have decreed that the left hand shall be 

 used for driving.' Establish a freemasonry between your hand 

 and your horse's mouth. When you want to go round a corner 

 to the right (having previously, without touching the reins with 

 your right hand, given your horse * the office ' that you are soon 

 going to turn in that direction), bend your wrist over so as to 

 bring your thumb undermost towards your left hip. Should it 

 be towards the left hand you wish to turn, bring your little finger 

 undermost and incline it towards your right hip. The driving 

 hand should be straight in the centre of your body, with the 

 knuckles of your hand to the front and your forearm exactly 

 square to the upper arm ; the elbow and back of the fingers, 

 when shut over the reins, lightly touching your coat. Avoid 

 squaring your elbows and swagger of any sort when driving. 

 Hold your whip in your right hand not at the end, but where 

 it will balance nicely either for carrying or using. You will 

 probably find that to be about where the collar is. (To the 

 uninitiated we would remark that the collar is the silver plate 

 about fourteen or sixteen inches from the thick end of the 

 stick.) Remember that your comfort depends on keeping on 

 good terms with your horse. This is to be done by being 



