CARRIAGES. 41 



a fork on each horse's back. In spite of the ungraceful form of the 

 vehicle, the effect of the whole was very good. The carriage 

 fatigues the horses much less than one with four wheels, on account 

 of its superior lightness ; but it has been wholly disused of late 

 years, probably on account of the risk attached to it if the horses 

 become restive. 



Mr. Adams' book was published in 1837, and he was 

 scarcely correct in his assertion as to the complete disuse of the 

 curricle, for it is on record that as late as 1846 one was driven 

 by the Duke of Wellington. l His strictures on the 'unsightly' 

 and even the * positively ugly ' appearance of the curricle do 

 not agree with the fact that it was driven by the most fastidious 

 people; indeed Mr. Adams admits that 'it is not essentially 

 necessary that the vehicle should be ugly in its form, for it 

 affords facilities for constructing the most elegant of all vehicles.' 

 He goes on to say, ' a curricle of another form was built many 

 years back for the well-known Mr. Coates. 2 The shape of the 

 body was that of a classic sea-god's car, and it was constructed 

 in copper. The vehicle was very beautiful in its outline, though 

 disfigured by the absurdity of its ornamental work.' 



It will be understood that all these types of vehicles were 

 made with varied details, but not much need be said of the 

 'whisky,' the 'caned whisky,' and the 'grasshopper chaise 

 whisky,' which had their origin in the curricle. When used for 

 travelling, the curricle proper had conveniences for affixing a 



1 Up to the time of his death, April 1854, Field-Marshal the ist Marquis 

 of Anglesey constantly drove his curricle. The well-known and much-liked and 

 fashionable physician and wit, Dr. Quin, drove one many years later, and 

 to this date, 1888, Lord Tollemache still drives his. It is a light, elegant, com- 

 fortable vehicle. The only difficulty is to get horses good enough, for they 

 must be exactly the same height and shape, and must step high and work 

 together. 



2 This was the amateur actor who made ridiculous attempts on the stage 

 and gained the satirical name of Romeo Coates. In the late Mr. Dutton 

 Cook's ' On the Stage ' he is described as ' the occupant of a shell-shaped 

 chariot' Mr. Cook was not an expert in carriages, and doubtless should have 

 said curricle 'drawn by white horses, the panels and harness plentifully 

 blazoned with his crest a cock with the motto "While I live I'll crow!" a 

 mob following him yelling " Cock-a-doodle-do ! " ' 



