OLD COACHING DAYS. 195 



possible, but taking the greatest care not to drop a rein in so 

 doing, which is most dangerous ; in fact, a beginner should 

 practise this, either at first in the house, or on the coach-box 

 without horses, or when the horses are standing still. If you 

 build a coach, employ one of the best coachmakers, and do 

 not try to build it too light, as light coaches are failures. I 

 never knew one under 18 cwt. fit for all sorts of work or to 

 carry a load well without rocking ; most coaches weigh quite 

 one ton. Be sure to build it with the foot-board well over the 

 horses ; when on the box you should not be able to see the 

 part of the wheelers from the hips to the tail ; let these horses 

 be as near the splinter as possible with safety. Your pole 

 should be rather a short one, as the nearer your leaders are to 

 the coach in reason, the better, as the draught is less, and they 

 are more within reach should they require your right hand ; 

 and be sure your traces are not too long ; in this way you will 

 have all snug and under control. When driving about the 

 streets of London take care to keep your leaders well in hand, 

 and never allow them to pull when turning a corner, or you 

 will soon be in trouble ; take plenty of room, and time also, 

 when possible ; in fact, it should be a case of ' eyes every- 

 where ' \ and, above all, remember that you must practise often, 

 as is the case with chess, whist, or billiards. Study pace, which 

 is most useful, especially in the City : suppose that you wish to 

 pass a vehicle going the same way as yourself, and that another 

 vehicle is meeting you at some little distance, you should know 

 your own pace, and, at a glance, the pace that the vehicle you 

 wish to pass is going, also the pace of the carriage approaching ; 

 in fact ; a judge of pace can squeeze through the City in half the 

 time of an ordinary mortal. I believe that I have now venti- 

 lated the four-horse coach pretty freely ; and if I have only 

 interested or amused for a few minutes any past, present, or 

 future coachmen, I shall be more than repaid for these feeble 

 efforts, made for the road, which is still dear to me. But ten 

 times more shall I rejoice if, from the hints which I have given 

 about driving four horses, I have been able to teach the rising 



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