^Nimrod ' 



the Colossus of Roads. Great things have Hkewise been 

 done in cutting through hills and altering the course of 

 roads : and it is no uncommon thing nowadays to 

 see four horses trotting away merrily down hill on that 

 very ground 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 half-way 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 siin 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 



1 Most roads through hilly countries were originally struck out by drivers 

 of pack-horses, who, to avoid bogs, chose the upper ground. Consequently 

 it often happened that point B was lower than point A ; yet to go from A to B 

 the traveller ascended a hill to secure sound footing, and then descended to 

 his point. 



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