The Royal Mail: Its Curiosities and RomanceHyde, James Wilson
History
The Royal Mail: Its Curiosities and Romance
Hyde, James Wilson
Postal service -- Great Britain
"There are three great roads to the north of Scotland from Perth
(besides one by Dunkeld)--viz., one by Dundee, &c., one by Coupar, &c.,
and one by Blairgowrie, which run not at a very great distance in
general from each other in a parallel line. The great post-line or
mail-coach road is by Dundee; and there is little chance, I believe, of
this being departed from, as there is no other that can ever be equally
certain. The next great road to the westward is by Coupar and Forfar,
&c., and is supplied by branch-posts from the east or coast line. And
the third or upper line is by Blairgowrie and Spittal of Glenshee, which
have no post for 50, 60, or 70 miles; and if ever that part of the
country is to have the blessing of a regular post, it surely ought not
to be by branching from the coast-line through all the different
centres, but by the more immediate and direct line through Blairgowrie.
Every one will call his own line the great line; but surely, if I am to
travel either, I should be allowed to judge for myself; and I believe it
would be thought very _arbitrary_ indeed, if, before I set out, a
proprietor or advocate for any of these great lines should arrest my
carriage or my horse, and say, You shall not proceed but upon my line. I
confess myself so stupid that I can see no difference betwixt this and
taking it out of the power of the Post-office to judge what line they
shall journey mails. If this is not the case, then all the present lines
of the post, however absurd and ridiculous they now are or may become,
must, as they were at the beginning and now are, remain so for ever. And
I would expect next to see legal charters and infeftments taken upon
them as post-roads merely, and travellers thirled to them as corn to a
mill. But in regard to the voluminous writings already had upon this
subject, and now renewed in this last memorial, it may be necessary to
be a little more particular.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account