150 THE GENTLE ART. 



attempt to use it, he hits the harness three times ; the 

 fourth, Aunt catches it in her face; and then the fifth, 

 he gets it round the shaft. As Uncle is, I dare say, a 

 disciple of Walton, he has learned, that to hold a fish, 

 and not break the rod, it should be elevated ; so to 

 disengage his whip he does this, bringing it into some- 

 thing like a half circle : being most likely half whale- 

 bone, it stands this, but not succeeding in undoing 

 the accursed knot, as Dr. Slop would call it, my Nevy 

 is called upon, who gets from behind and effects the 

 job. This, however, he does not do quite in the way 

 of a guard to a fast coach ; so this occupies no short 

 time : then, after turning himself round three or four 

 times like a terrier dog before he lies down, Nevy 

 gets right (the word is out of place here, so we will 

 say seated), and on they go. "Thank ye, Bobby, you 

 did that very nicely !" — Very ! 



Now Uncle and all the set have no objection to 

 going fast in every situation and over any sort of road 

 but that precise part where such a machine can be 

 got along with any ease to the horse ; so over level 

 ground they go twelve miles an hour, on moderately 

 rising ground ten. If the ground declines a little, 

 and the horse, with more sense than his driver, 

 attempts to get along, he is stopped, fearing he might 

 go too fast ; so here he goes eight : if it declines a 

 little more, six ; and at anything bordering on a hill, 

 nothing but a walk is permitted : so that, in point of 

 fact, it is only where extreme labour is required that 

 the horse is allowed to make his ground, and thus arc 

 numberless horses unwittingly distressed and worn 

 out. 



Now I am quite willing to allow that with such 

 hands as Uncle Thomas's there is some danger in 



