The English Mail-Coach and Joan of ArcDe Quincey, Thomas
General
The English Mail-Coach and Joan of Arc
De Quincey, Thomas
English essays; Joan, of Arc, Saint, 1412-1431
terms:--"These wretches, sir, in France and England, cannot march half a
mile in any direction without finding a house where food can be had and
lodging; whereas such is the noble desolation of our magnificent country
that in many a direction for a thousand miles I will engage that a dog
shall not find shelter from a snow-storm, nor a wren find an apology for
breakfast."] miles--northwards for six hundred; and the sympathy of our
Lombard Street friends at parting is exalted a hundredfold by a sort of
visionary sympathy with the yet slumbering sympathies which in so vast a
succession we are going to awake.
Liberated from the embarrassments of the city, and issuing into the
broad uncrowded avenues of the northern suburbs, we soon begin to enter
upon our natural pace of ten miles an hour. In the broad light of the
summer evening, the sun, perhaps, only just at the point of setting, we
are seen from every storey of every house. Heads of every age crowd to
the windows; young and old understand the language of our victorious
symbols; and rolling volleys of sympathising cheers run along us, behind
us, and before us. The beggar, rearing himself against the wall, forgets
his lameness--real or assumed--thinks not of his whining trade, but
stands erect, with bold exulting smiles, as we pass him. The victory has
healed him, and says, Be thou whole! Women and children, from garrets
alike and cellars, through infinite London, look down or look up with
loving eyes upon our gay ribbons and our martial laurels; sometimes
kiss their hands; sometimes hang out, as signals of affection,
pocket-handkerchiefs, aprons, dusters, anything that, by catching the
summer breezes, will express an aerial jubilation. On the London side of
Barnet, to which we draw near within a few minutes after nine, observe
that private carriage which is approaching us. The weather being so
warm, the glasses are all down; and one may read, as on the stage of a
theatre, everything that goes on within. It contains three ladies--one
likely to be "mamma," and two of seventeen or eighteen, who are probably
her daughters. What lovely animation, what beautiful unpremeditated
pantomime, explaining to us every syllable that passes, in these
ingenuous girls! By the sudden start and raising of the hands on first
discovering our laurelled equipage, by the sudden movement and appeal to
the elder lady from both of them, and by the heightened colour on their
animated countenances, we can almost hear them saying, "See, see! Look
at their laurels! Oh, mamma! there has been a great battle in Spain; and
it has been a great victory." In a moment we are on the point of passing
them. We passengers--I on the box, and the two on the roof behind
me--raise our hats to the ladies; the coachman makes his professional
salute with the whip; the guard even, though punctilious on the matter
of his dignity as an officer under the crown, touches his hat. The
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account