ot be too confidential with cabby, nor ask him what he charges, nor
hold out a handful of silver to him and ask him to pay himself, nor give
him a sovereign in mistake for a shilling, and delude yourself with the
idea that he will return it. Don't tell him you are in a hurry to catch
the train. I once offered the driver of a Hansom a shilling for a ride
from the Post Office to the Angel, Islington; he was so disgusted that he
plainly informed me that if he'd a known I was only going to give him a
shilling, he'd be blessed if he would not have lost the mail for me. The
repeal of the newspaper stamp has done wonders for cabby. He now takes
in his morning paper the same as any other gentleman. To ride in a cab
is the extent of some people's idea of happiness. I heard of a clerk who
had absconded with some money belonging to an employer, he had spent it
all in chartering a cab, and in riding about in it all day. M.P.'s are
much in the habit of using cabs. On one occasion an M.P. who had been at
a party, hurrying down to a division, was changing his evening costume
for one more appropriate to business. Unfortunately, in the most
interesting part of the transaction, the cab was upset and the M.P. was
exhibited in a state which would have made Lord Elcho very angry.

Cab drivers I look upon as misanthropic individuals. I fancy many of
them were railway directors in the memorable year of speculation, and
have known better days. The driver of a buss is a prince of good fellows
compared with a cabman. The former has no pecuniary anxieties to weigh
him down, he is full of fun in a quiet way, and in case of a quarrel he
has his conductor to take his side--he has his regular employment and his
regular pay; the cabby is alone, and has to do battle with all the world,
and he has often horses to drive and people to deal with that would tire
the patience of a Job. He is constantly being aggravated--there is no
doubt about that; the magistrates aggravate him--the police aggravate
him--his fares aggravate him--his 'oss aggravates him--the crowded state
of the street, and the impossibility of getting along aggravates him--the
weather aggravates him--if it is hot he feels it, and has a terrible
tendency to get dry--and if it is cold and wet not even his damp wrappers
and overcoats can keep out, I suspect, chilblains; and I know he has
corns, and he will use bad language in a truly distressing manner. Then
his hours of work are s