1 84 DRIVING. 



level ground was gained, as no horses could back a coach 

 uphill. 



The drag, however, may be, and often is, greatly abused. 

 What do we see now ? We may note a well-appointed coach 

 being driven about London, but when necessary to pull up, the 

 horses are no longer expected to stop the vehicle ; the coach- 

 man's duty is to put on the patent drag. It is also often 

 kept on after the coach has been stopped, lest the horses 

 should move again. As the team descends, either in town or 

 country, or even when going over the London bridges, on 

 goes the drag. But the place of all others in which to see 

 the popularity of the patent drag is the top of St. James's 

 Street ; here it goes on with a jerk, a pressure and a noise, 

 that would almost lead one to think that the coach had arrived 

 at the top of Henley Hill, with ' eleven and four,' and two tons 

 of luggage ; whereas, for years, we formerly trotted down St. 

 James's Street, full in and out, with many loads, bound for 

 Mr. Hart's hospitable Trafalgar Hotel at Greenwich or else- 

 where, without any skid at all. But then horses knew their 

 business. The drag is still more abused in the country, as 

 every flyman makes use of it down gradual descents, where 

 it is not the least required, causes a most unpleasant noise, 

 and wears away both itself and the tires of the wheels to no 

 purpose. 



Now, I beg to state that I am not finding fault with the 

 coachmen of the present day ; no doubt there are excellent 

 men among them, and I think it marvellous how few accidents 

 have happened to coaches, especially in and about London, 

 since railways opened, as modern drivers could not have had 

 the opportunity of driving all sorts of horses, by day and by 

 night, as had to be done formerly. The fact is, that horses are 

 not taught to hold back, as every horse ought to be ; but, of 

 course, if dealers and horse-breakers can sell them when 

 ignorant of this useful accomplishment, they will continue to 

 do so. The drag should never be used excepting when 

 absolutely necessary. I have heard much about the drag 



