PREFACE TO THE FIEST EDITION". XVU 



once for eight successive years — in a situation 

 where hundreds of horses — some my own and 

 some the property of others — passed every year 

 through my hands. I have driven my own four 

 horses; so have I scores of teams belonging to 

 coach proprietors ; so was I once, when very closely 

 screwed up in pecuniary matters, very near driving 

 one as an addition to my limited means, with 

 this very consoling addendum to any other feelings 

 I miorht have on the occasion from the mouth of the 

 worthy proprietor: — "I am sorry that just now 

 I have no vacancy on a pleasant coach to give 



you, but there is the mail, that poor 



was killed from last week, going through 



forest, where the road is always in a shameful 

 state ; if you would like that till I can get you 

 a better, I will put you on it with pleasure." 

 Though not a very particular man, I thought the 

 share of pleasure on my part in undertaking a 

 night mail that another had been killed from, 

 would be very small indeed ; so this vicissitude 

 — namely, driving as a paid coachman — has not 

 been added to the many of my life. 



Let me hope that this rough sketch will suffice 

 to account, first, for any seeming incongruities in 

 what I may have at different times written ; but, 

 a 



