432 HIGHWAYS AND HORSES. 



qualify them for the position they would doubtless 

 occupy in after life ; but his argument was, that if they 

 were possessed of a knowledge of some trade which 

 might be defined as skilled labour, not even in an 

 over-populated country like England could they 

 ever starve, prove Fortune ever so fickle or Fate 

 ever so adverse. 



Before I quit the subject of Coach-building, I 

 would mention the names of those whom I consider 

 the best r<?^^//-builders. I use the word coack as 

 distinct from carriage-building. There are an im- 

 mense number of excellent carriage-builders in London 

 and elsewhere who would have no difficulty in building 

 a coach if one were ordered of them, but who do not 

 make coach-building their speciality. Amongst men 

 of all professions there are some who are specialists, 

 and the practice of being so is followed amongst 

 tradesmen, coach-builders more particularly. Messrs. 

 Holland & Holland ; Shanks, of Great Queen Street ; 

 Peters, of Park Street, Park Lane ; and Hooper & Co., 

 of 113, Victoria Street, are undoubtedly the best coach- 

 builders in London. Messrs. Morgan, of Long Acre, 

 make excellent light coaches ; and Messrs, Allen, of 

 the same address, also have on hand a large number 

 of coaches, particularly after the Derby Day. But if 

 you want the very best article that can be made, you 

 must go to those builders who make coach-building a 

 speciality. In my opinion Holland & Holland, and 

 Shanks, are the two best ; but in the building of 

 carriages of the most elaborate and highly-finished 

 description possible, there is no doubt that Mr. Hooper 

 and Mr. Peters stand pre-eminent. 



But it must be remembered that, in addition to 

 being the owner of a coach, the fact of possession is 



