Transcriber's note:
Minor spelling and punctuation inconsistencies been harmonized.Obvious printer errors have been repaired. Missing page numbersare page numbers that were not shown in the original text. Pleasesee the end of this book for further notes.
COACHING,
WITH
ANECDOTES OF THE ROAD.
COACHING,
WITH
ANECDOTES OF THE ROAD.
BY
LORD WILLIAM PITT LENNOX,
AUTHOR OF
"CELEBRITIES I HAVE KNOWN," ETC.
Dedicated to His Grace the Duke of Beaufort, K.G.,
PRESIDENT,
And the Members of The
LONDON:
HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS.
13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1876.
All rights reserved.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
ANCIENT CHARIOTEERS—CELEBRATED WHIPS—INTRODUCTIONOF CARRIAGES INTO ENGLAND—MR. CRESSET'S PAMPHLET—THESTATE OF THE ROADS IN 1739—DANGEROUS CONVEYANCES—THEFLYING COACH OF 1669—DEAN SWIFT'S POETICALLINES ON HIS JOURNEY TO CHESTER—DISCOMFORTS OFINSIDE TRAVELLING—TRAVELLING IN BYGONE DAYS1
CHAPTER II.
DANGERS OF TRAVELLING—ANECDOTES OF HIGHWAYMEN—INNKEEPERSAND HIGHWAYMEN—STAGE-COACH ROBBERIES—A'CUTE LADY—A JOURNEY TO LONDON UNDER DIFFICULTIES—TRAVELLINGIN 1770—VANBRUGH'S DESCRIPTIONOF AN M.P.'S JOURNEY—SYDNEY SMITH ON MODERN IMPROVEMENT25
CHAPTER III.
SLOW COACHES—FAST COACHES—"THE WONDER" AND "BLENHEIM"—PUBLICDINNERS TO THE DRIVERS—PRESENTATIONOF A SILVER CUP TO A DRIVER OF "THE BLENHEIM"—THEYOUNG OXONIANS FAIRLY TAKEN IN—NIMROD ON THESHREWSBURY AND CHESTER "HIGHFLYER"—BANEFUL EFFECTSOF RAILWAYS ON THE ROAD—"THE DESERTED VILLAGE"—WONDERFULFEAT OF LOCOMOTION 49
CHAPTER IV.
JOURNEY TO BATH IN THE PALMY DAYS OF COACHING—ADRIVING GIOVANNI—"PARSON DENNIS"—CONTRAST TO THEABOVE—TENNANT'S DESCRIPTION—THE OLD BRIGHTONROAD—MODERN IMPROVEMENTS—A SQUIRE OF 1638 67
CHAPTER V.
COACH versus RAIL—DESCRIPTION OF A COACH JOURNEY FROMLONDON TO BATH—DIFFERENCES OF OPINION—THE COACHDINNER—LUXURIOUS LIVING—SNUG HÔTELLERIES—ENGLISHversus FOREIGN COOKING 87
CHAPTER VI.
"MOVING ACCIDENTS" BY RAIL AND COACH—SHORT TIMEFOR THE ISSUE OF RAILWAY TICKETS—RECKLESS DRIVERS—ANAFFAIR OF HONOUR—ANECDOTE OF THE LATE DUKEOF WELLINGTON 101
CHAPT