OLD COACHING DAYS. 193 



use your whip, the proper use of which is among the novice's 

 greatest difficulties. He is nearly always to be met twisting 

 his whip round and round, trying to catch up the thong, and 

 looking at that when he ought to be watching his horses. He 

 should learn to use his whip at home, before getting on to a 

 coach at all. Let him sit on a table or high stool, in a large 

 room, or, perhaps, a garden is better still. He should drive a 

 short split stick, about six inches long, into the ground, at a 

 proper distance from his chair, insert a small piece of card or 

 paper into the cleft of the stick, and slash at it and try to hit 

 it with the whipcord or point of the whip. This he will soon 

 learn to do ; then let an old hand teach him how to catch up the 

 thong instantly ; for the moment you hit a leader, some wheel- 

 horses hang back, and should have a reminder at once, smart 

 and effective. The next thing to be done is to learn how to put 

 your team together, so that you may be well able to teach your 

 servants, who generally know little or nothing about it. Then 

 the novice will do well to take some lessons in driving from 

 some one who thoroughly understands the art, always taking 

 his whip and reins in his hands before mounting the box ; 

 when there, he must place his knees and feet close together, with- 

 out any apparent stiffness, and be sure to cover his legs and feet 

 with an apron : light jean in summer, strong cloth in winter. 



Teach your horses to stand still after you are on the box, 

 till you wish them to move ; having all your reins properly in 

 hand, raise it gently, and they will all start at once ; you should 

 never have recourse to that horrible new custom of crying out 

 ' Hold up,' l in a stentorian voice, which is most unseemly and 

 quite unnecessary, only intended for Bath wagon-horses in the 

 olden time. Begin by driving a few miles into the country, 

 then round the parks, and as soon as you can shift your reins 

 properly, and use your whip, take a turn in the streets before 

 twelve o'clock. Having gained confidence, begin at the Marble 

 Arch, drive down Oxford Street, Holborn, round St. Paul's, 

 and back by the Strand and Piccadilly ; this was a favourite 



1 Or more commonly ' Pull up,' which is ridiculous. B. 



O 



