"Defoe, among others, lived here; and Benjamin Disraeli at Deepdene conceived the idea of 'Coningsby,' and wrote part of that work under its roof, as may be seen set forth in his dedication. The fame of Madame D'Arblay belongs more correctly to Mickleham. Then there were at Dorking many disciples of the Aikins and Barbaulds, those Clarissas and Laetitias of a pseudo-classic age whose dull wit was as forced as were the turgid sentiments of the eminently proper characters in their writings. Theirs was an age whose manners were as superficial as was the stucco upon the brick walls of their neo-classic mansions and quasi-Greek conventicles; and, for frankness' sake, I think I prefer our own times, when we have no manners and make no pretensions that way. "However, time is up. The guard winds his horn up the street, and we take our seats again. The coachman gathers up his reins and shakes squarely down into his seat; the ostlers step back. 'Good-bye, good-bye,' and we are off at a quarter-past three on the return journey. We halt our team by the way at a cheerful inn. The air bites shrewdly, and----'Well, yes; I don't mind if I do!' 'Here's confusion to the Apostles of the Pump; a health to our driver; prosperity to the "Tally-ho," and----' 'Hurry up, please, gentlemen!' We take our seats once more with alacrity, and another hour sees us again at Hampton Court." To show the manner in which coach accounts were kept in the coaching age, I append a copy of an old statement now in my possession. It is a "sharing account," and details a month's takings and expenses in the expiring days of road travel. Meanwhile we resume our itinerary of the Portsmouth Road where we broke off, at Esher. [Sidenote: _COACH ACCOUNTS_] _Dr._ _Cr._ LONDON AND _Dorking_ COACH. _Account for 4 Weeks, ending the 5th Day of_ August _1837, both inclusive._