78 HJGHIVAYS AND HORSES. 



distance under fifty miles, there is in it neither the 

 speed nor the repose incidental to a railway journey 

 in a good train on a good line, in a properly-coupled 

 and easily-hung carriage. 



In the coaching days, horses must have been 

 regarded as of far greater importance than they are 

 now, as in every journey undertaken by travellers, 

 they were dependent for their safety and for the 

 speed at which they were conveyed, on this most 

 willing and obedient servant of mankind. When we 

 consider the enormous strength possessed by a horse, 

 it is marvellous that be should ever become sub- 

 servient to our will, and that at the bidding of man 

 he should labour so conscientiously in his service. 

 Many people, although not owning horses of their 

 own, are daily being served by them indirectly. In 

 fact, such is the case with all persons who use public 

 conveyances drawn by horses, yet not half the people 

 who do so bestow a thouofht on the willinfr beast 

 who patiently labours in their service. 



A few years ago, I saw a heavily-laden omnibus, 

 the horses of which could not drag it up the hill at the 

 lower end of Regent Street, close by Waterloo Place ; 

 and yet it was not for the will to do so, as they 

 struggled with all their might, thrusting their shoulders 

 into their collars sufficiently to break the traces, 

 whilst the coachman was lashing them without mercy ; 

 the omnibus was full within and without, yet not a 

 soul descended from their seats to relieve the poor 

 brutes, I cannot believe that if any of those per- 

 sons had known anything about horses, they would 

 have sat still as they did ; in fact, when urged to get 

 down and so give the horses a chance, the reply was : 

 " We have paid our fares, they should get better horses 



