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 [Illustration: COACHING CLUB] 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.