Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber's note:
Spelling and punctuation inconsistencies been harmonized.
Obvious printer errors have been repaired. Italic text has been
marked with _underscores_. Please see 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--INTRODUCTION OF
CARRIAGES INTO ENGLAND--MR. CRESSET'S PAMPHLET--THE STATE
OF THE ROADS IN 1739--DANGEROUS CONVEYANCES--THE FLYING
COACH OF 1669--DEAN SWIFT'S POETICAL LINES ON HIS JOURNEY TO
CHESTER--DISCOMFORTS OF INSIDE TRAVELLING--TRAVELLING IN BYGONE
DAYS 1

CHAPTER II.

DANGERS OF TRAVELLING--ANECDOTES OF HIGHWAYMEN--INNKEEPERS AND
HIGHWAYMEN--STAGE-COACH ROBBERIES--A 'CUTE LADY--A JOURNEY
TO LONDON UNDER DIFFICULTIES--TRAVELLING IN 1770--VANBRUGH'S
DESCRIPTION OF AN M.P.'S JOURNEY--SYDNEY SMITH ON MODERN
IMPROVEMENT 25

CHAPTER III.

SLOW COACHES--FAST COACHES--"THE WONDER" AND "BLENHEIM"--PUBLIC
DINNERS TO THE DRIVERS--PRESENTATION OF A SILVER CUP TO A
DRIVER OF "THE BLENHEIM"--THE YOUNG OXONIANS FAIRLY TAKEN
IN--NIMROD ON THE SHREWSBURY AND CHESTER "HIGHFLYER"--BANEFUL
EFFECTS OF RAILWAYS ON THE ROAD--"THE DESERTED
VILLAGE"--WONDERFUL FEAT OF LOCOMOTION 49

CHAPTER IV.

JOURNEY TO BATH IN THE PALMY DAYS OF COACHING--A DRIVING
GIOVANNI--"PARSON DENNIS"--CONTRAST TO THE ABOVE--TENNANT'S
DESCRIPTION--THE OLD BRIGHTON ROAD--MODERN IMPROVEMENTS--A
SQUIRE OF 1638 67

CHAPTER V.

COACH _versus_ RAIL--DESCRIPTION OF A COACH JOURNEY FROM LONDON
TO BATH--DIFFERENCES OF OPINION--THE COACH DINNER--LUXURIOUS
LIVING--SNUG HÔTELLERIES--ENGLISH _versus_ FOREIGN COOKING 87

CHAPTER VI.

"MOVING ACCIDENTS" BY RAIL AND COACH--SHORT TIME FOR THE
ISSUE OF RAILWAY TICKETS--RECKLESS DRIVERS--AN AFFAIR OF
HONOUR--ANECDOTE OF THE LATE DUKE OF WELLINGTON 101

CHAPTER VII.

TRAVELLING IN IRELAND--BIANCONI'S CARS--JOURNEY FROM
CORK TO DUBLIN IN A POST-CHAISE--IRISH WIT--A POOR-LAW
COMMISSIONER--MR. PEABODY--SIR WALTER SCOTT AND A GENUINE
PADDY--MR. CHARLES BIANCONI--IRISH CAR DRIVERS 115

CHAPTER VIII.

COACH ACCIDENTS--ACCIDENT FROM RACING--ACTIONS AT LAW--MAIL
ROBBERIES--ROBBERY BY CONVICTS--A DANGEROUS START--A DRUNKEN
DRIVER 127

CHAPTER IX.

EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE--COACH ACCIDENTS--DANGER ATTENDING
PRINCE GEORGE OF DENMARK'S VISIT TO PETWORTH--THE MAILS STOPPED
BY SEVERE SNOWSTORMS--SLEDGES USED FOR THE MAILS--DEATH FROM
INCLEMENCY OF WEATHER--DREADFUL STORMS--FLOODS IN SCOTLAND IN
1829--ACCIDENT TO THE BATH AND DEVONPORT MAILS--MAIL ROBBERIES
IN 1839--COACHING IN AUSTRALIA 143

CHAPTER X.

COACHING ACQUAINTANCES--STAGE-COACHMEN OF BYGONE AND MODERN
DAYS--AMATEUR DRIVERS--REQUISITES FOR DRIVING--CRACK DRIVERS--A
POPULAR DRAGSMAN--HIS PRIVILEGES--HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS 169

CHAPTER XI.

THE TURNPIKE GATE AT HYDE PARK CORNER--SUBURBAN AND PROVINCIAL
TURNPIKE-MEN--THEIR REFLECTIONS--PANORAMA OF THE ROAD--THE "OLD
WHITE HORSE CELLAR," PICCADILLY--GROUPS OF ITS FREQUENTERS 181

CHAPTER XII.

AMATEUR DRAGSMEN--THE LATE FITZROY STANHOPE--THE OLD
DRIVING CLUB OF 1808--THE HON. LINCOLN STANHOPE--THE WHIP
CLUB--DESCRIPTION OF THE CARRIAGES--SONG OF THE WHIP
CLUB--OUTRÉE DRESS OF THE DRIVERS RIDICULED BY CHARLES MATHEWS
AND JOE GRIMALDI--FOUR-IN-HAND CLUB OF THE PRESENT DAY 195

CHAPTER XIII.

OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE MEN--ADVENTURE ON THE FAR-FAMED "TANTIVY"
COACH--GALLANT CONDUCT OF THE GUARD--MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT
DRIVING--JEM REVELL OF "THE PELICAN"--MY UPSET--TANDEM
DRIVING--THE OSTLER--COUNTRY INNS--HOTEL CHARGES 209

CHAPTER XIV.

NOBLE AND GENTLE DRAGSMEN--JOURNEY TO NEWMARKET--LORD
GRANTLEY'S TEAM--A REFRACTORY WHEELER--USE AND ABUSE OF THE
BEARING REIN--THE RUNNING REIN--HARNESS OF THE PRESENT DAY--THE
ROYAL MAIL--GENERAL REMARKS ON DRIVING 223

CHAPTER XV.

CARRIAGES OF BYGONE DAYS AND THE PRESENT--THE
CABRIOLET--ANECDOTE OF THE LATE DUKE OF WELLINGTON--A HUNTING
ADVENTURE--AN EVENTFUL DAY--A LUCKY ESCAPE--NOBLE CONDUCT OF
THE IRON DUKE--SUGGESTIONS 237

CHAPTER XVI.

HAIRBREADTH ESCAPES--DRIVE TO VALENCIENNES WITH FREDERICK
YATES--MEET A DANCING BEAR--RESULT--WHEEL CARRIAGES IN
TOWNS--STATE OF THE PUBLIC STREETS--GAY'S DESCRIPTION OF
THEM--HACKNEY COACHES--TAYLOR, THE WATER POET--ROBBERIES IN
LONDON--FIRST INTRODUCTION OF OMNIBUSES 251

CHAPTER XVII.

AN ADVENTURE WITH BALL HUGHES, COMMONLY CALLED "THE
GOLDEN BALL"--A SENSATION AT DARTFORD--A RELIC OF THE
COMMUNE--RAILWAYS--PIONEERS OF THE RAIL--INTRODUCTION OF
STEAM-CARRIAGES ON ROADS--SEDAN CHAIRS--PADDY'S PRACTICAL
JOKE--FEUDS BETWEEN CHAIRMEN AND HACKNEY-COACHMEN 265

CHAPTER XVIII.

ANCIENT AND MODERN VEHICLES--PRACTICAL JOKES IN ENGLAND AND
FRANCE--FRENCH COACHES--DILIGENCES--THE MALLE-POSTE--CARRIAGES
IN THE REIGN OF LOUIS XIV.--PORTE FLAMBEAUX--QUARRELS BETWEEN
RIVAL COACHMEN--AN ENGLISH STAGE-COACH IN FRANCE--CONCLUSION
285

CHAPTER I.

ANCIENT CHARIOTEERS--CELEBRATED WHIPS--INTRODUCTION OF
CARRIAGES INTO ENGLAND--MR. CRESSET'S PAMPHLET--THE STATE
OF THE ROADS IN 1739--DANGEROUS CONVEYANCES--THE FLYING
COACH OF 1669--DEAN SWIFT'S POETICAL LINES ON HIS JOURNEY TO
CHESTER--DISCOMFORTS OF INSIDE TRAVELLING--TRAVELLING IN BYGONE
DAYS.