^Nimrod ' 



two-horse vehicle set out on the same errand, and the betting 

 would strangely alter. 



It is quite a mistaken notion, that a carriage is less liable 

 to accidents for being light. On the contrary, she is more 

 liable to them than one that is well laden in proportion to 

 her sustaining powers. In the latter case, she runs steadily 

 along, and is but little disturbed by any obstacle or jerk she 

 may meet on the road ; in the former she is constantly on 

 ' the jump,' as coachmen call it, and her iron parts very 

 liable to snap. Our present mail-coach work reflects the 

 highest credit on the state of our roads, and everything con- 

 nected with them. It will be borne in mind that, with one 

 or two exceptions, they all begin their journey at night, and 

 those which perform very long distances have two nights to 

 one day ; yet, see the wonderful regularity with which they 

 arrive, and the few bad accidents they meet with ! But, 

 indeed, all our night- travelling in England is deserving of 

 high praise for the expedition and regularity with which it 

 is conducted ; and, we have reason to believe, fewer acci- 

 dents happen to night-coaches than to such as run by day. 

 This, however, may be accounted for. Barring fogs, it 

 matters not how dark a night is, as our lamps supply the light 

 of the sun ; and, taking the average of nights, have a prefer- 

 ence over the moon. Coachmen — now always sober — are 

 then more careful, and less given to larking, and the road is 

 generally clear of any carriages but those which travel with 

 lights. Horses also run more steadily by night, and cer- 

 tainly with more ease ; it is a very common case to hear a 



221 



