The Life of John RuskinCollingwood, W. G. (William Gershom)
Philosophy
The Life of John Ruskin
Collingwood, W. G. (William Gershom)
Authors, English -- 19th century -- Biography; Ruskin, John, 1819-1900
"... With the Professor, who dislikes railways very much, it was
not a question of travelling by rail. He said, 'I will take you in
a carriage and with horses, and we will drive the whole way from
London to the North of England. And I will not only do that, but I
will do the best in my power to get a postilion to ride, and we
will go quite in the old-fashioned way ...' The Professor went so
far that he actually built a carriage for this drive. It was a
regular posting carriage, with good strong wheels, a place behind
for the luggage, and cunning drawers inside it for all kinds of
things that we might require on the journey. We started off one
fine morning from London--I must say without a postilion--but when
we arrived at the next town, about twenty miles off, having
telegraphed beforehand that we were coming, there was a gorgeous
postilion ready with the fresh horses, and we started off in a
right style, according to the Professor's wishes.
"After many pleasant days of travelling, we at last arrived at
Sheffield, and I well remember that we created no small sensation
as we clattered up to the old posting inn. I think it was the
King's Head. We stayed a few days, and visited the old Museum at
Walkley; and I remember the look of regret on the Professor's face
when he saw how cramped the space was there for the things he had
to show. However, with his usual kindliness, he did not say much
about it at the time, and he did not complain of the considerable
amount of room it was necessary for the curator and his family to
take up in that place. We stayed about two days looking at the
beautiful country,--and I am glad to say there was a good deal
still left,--and then the Professor gave orders that the carriage
should be got ready to take us on our journey, and that a postilion
should be forthcoming, if possible. I remember leaving the luncheon
table and going outside to see if the necessary arrangements were
complete. Sure enough, there was the carriage at the door, and a
still more gorgeous postilion than any we had had so far on our
journey. His riding breeches were of the tightest and whitest I
ever saw; his horses were an admirable pair, and looked like going.
A very large crowd had assembled outside the inn, to see what
extraordinary kind of mortals could be going to travel in such a
way.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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