COACHING 



cutting through hills and altering the course of roads : and it 

 is no uncommon thing now-a-days to see four horses trotting 

 away merrily down hill on that very grovuid where they 

 formerly were seen walking up hill." 



' " And pray, my good sir, what sort of horses may you have 

 over the next stage ? " " Oh, sir, no more bo-kickers. It is 

 hilly and severe ground, and requires cattle strong and staid. 

 You '11 see four as fine horses put to the coach at Staines as you 

 ever saw in a nobleman's carriage in your life." " Then we 

 shall have no more galloping — no more springing them, as you 

 term it ? " " Not quite so fast over the next ground," replied 

 the proprietor ; " but he will make good play over some part 

 of it : for example, when he gets three parts down a hill he lets 

 them loose, and cheats them out of half the one they have to 

 ascend from the bottom of it. In short, they are halfway up 

 it before a horse touches his collar ; and we must take every 

 advantage with such a fast coach as this, and one that loads so 

 well, or we should never keep our time. We are now to a 

 minute ; in fact, the country people no longer look at the sun 

 when they want to set their clocks — they look only to the 

 Comet. But, depend upon it you are quite safe ; we have 

 nothing but first-rate artists on this coach." " Artist ! 

 artist ! " grumbles the old gentleman, " we had no such term 

 as that." 



' " I should like to see this artist change horses at the next 

 stage," resumes our ancient ; " for at the last it had the 

 appearance of magic — ' Presto, Jack, and begone ! ' " " By 

 all means ; you will be much gratified. It is done with a quick- 

 ness and ease almost incredible to any one who has only read 

 or heard of it ; not a buckle nor a rein is touched twice, and 

 still all is made secure ; but use becomes second nature with 

 us. Even in my younger days it was always half an hour's 

 work — sometimes more. There was — ' Now, ladies and gentle- 

 men, what would you like to take ? There 's plenty of time, 

 while the horses are changing, for tea, coffee, or supper ; and 

 the coachman will wait for you — won't you, Mr. Smith ? ' 



133 



