The Sport of Our Ancestors 



now observed, * he had been a fair plate horse in his time, 

 but his temper was always queer.' 



After the first shock was over, the Conservative of the 

 eighteenth century felt comfortable. The pace was con- 

 siderably slower than it had been over the last stage, but he 

 was unconscious of the reason for its being diminished. It 

 was to accommodate the queer temper of the race-horse, who, 

 if he had not been humoured at starting, would never have 

 settled down to his trot, but have ruffled all the rest of the 

 team. He was also surprised, if not pleased, at the quick 

 rate at which they were ascending hills which, in his time, 

 he should have been asked by the coachman to have walked 

 up : but his pleasure was short-lived ; the third hill they 

 descended produced a return of his agony. This was what 

 is termed on the road a long fall of ground^ and the coach 

 rather pressed upon the horses. The temper of the race- 

 horse became exhausted ; breaking into a canter, he was of 

 little use as a wheeler, and there was then nothing for it but 

 a gallop. The leaders only wanted the signal ; and the 

 point of the thong being thrown lightly over their backs, 

 they were off like an arrow out of a bow ; but the rocking 

 of the coach was awful, and more particularly so to the 

 passengers on the roof. Nevertheless, she was not in 

 danger ; the master-hand of the artist kept her in a direct line, 

 and meeting the opposing ground, she steadied, and all was 

 right. The newly-awakened gentleman, however, begins 

 to grumble again. ' Pray, my good sir,' says he anxiously, 

 * do use your authority over your coachman, and insist upon 

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