18 

 And in this taste, we fancy that the eccentric doctor was 

 much like the majority of men. 



In one very important respect the common roads of this 

 county are particularly inviting to those who ride for 

 pleasure, in that so many are winding in their course. 

 For, however convenient a straight road may be for pur- 

 poses of business, when it comes to pleasure-driving most 

 of us prefer a road that winds and curves and seems to 

 lead nowhere in particular. 



" Kound and round, over valley and hill 

 Old roads winding, as old roads will, 

 Here to a ferry and there to a mill." 



Not long since a citizen of this county, who had been 

 invited to consider the question of accepting a position 

 possessing many attractions elsewhere, gave as one of his 

 strongest reasons for his reluctance to make the change 

 that he and his family would feel homesick without the 

 winding driveways of Old Essex. The keeping these 

 roads in a state of thoroughly good repair would make 

 the pleasure of driving over them equal to that enjoyed 

 in the most elaborate parks. For it is altogether doubtful 

 whether our parks became popular resorts for driving so 

 much for anything else that the hand of man has done in 

 them, as because of the perfection of the roads which are 

 found there. In this connection account must be taken 

 of those modern inventions — the bicycle and tricycle. 

 The great improvement in these machines and their re- 

 duced price are bringing them into popular use among 

 people of all ages and both sexes. They are sensitive 

 detectives of any imperfections in their path. And towns 

 which would win the favor of the numerous multitude 

 already using them must attend to the condition of their 

 roads. 



