52 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



prevent stumbling, if anything will, but in some 

 horses nothing can." 



Dr. Johnson's is a figure more often associated 

 with coach and chaise travelling than with horse- 

 manship, but in his younger days he could ride 

 horseback with the best. He only lacked the 

 money to afford it. His wedding-day — when he 

 took the first opportunity of teaching his Tetty 

 marital discipline — was passed in a journey from 

 Derby. His wife rode one horse and he another. 

 " Sir," he said, a few years later, " she had read 

 the old romances, and had got into her head the 

 fantastical notion that a woman of spirit should 

 use her husband like a dog. So, sir, at first she 

 told me that I rode too fast, and she could not 

 keep up Avitli me ; and when I rode a little slower 

 she passed me and complained that I lagged 

 behind. I was not to be made the slave of 

 caprice, and I resolved to begin as I meant to 

 end. I therefore pushed on briskly, till I Avas 

 fairly out of her sight. The road lay between 

 two hedges, so I was sure she could not miss 

 it ; and I contrived that she should soon come 

 up with me. When she did, I observed her to be 

 in tears." 



It has already been noted that judges and 

 barristers formerly rode circuit on horseback. As 

 Pielding says, "a grave serjeant-at-law con- 

 descended to amble to Westminster on an easy 

 pad, with his clerk kicking his heels behind 

 him." In such cases, and when a lady rode 

 pillion behind her squire, clutching him by the 



