The Coachmaster 



kept him strong, and brought him clean, 

 through that period of trial. 



From stable-boy he became groom, and 



eventually coachman to Admiral H . 



Now, indeed, was he come a long way on 

 the road of his ambition, but the goal was 

 yet to reach. It was all very well to 

 take the young ladies on their purchasing 

 rounds to the toy -shops and milliners, or 

 to their dancing parties, or through the 

 Park, but he looked ever more eagerly for 

 the time when he should disentangle him- 

 self from the thronged and mazy London 

 streets and drive his fine horses into the 

 heart of the sweet country ; and his pulse 

 quickened at the thought of the rapid run 

 along the free high roads in the pleasant 

 company and talk of travellers. 



In course of time, and to his great satis- 

 faction, he entered the service of Mrs. 

 Thrale, who had but recently gone to 

 live in Brighton, and there can be little 

 doubt that he must have driven Dr. 

 Johnson in her carriage on the rare occa- 

 sion of his visits to Brighton ; but did he 

 do so, he was quite unaware of the fact, 

 and even ignorant of the name and fame 

 of the ponderous philosopher. 



'' I won't say but what I may have 

 driven him," he said thouQ^htfullv, when, 



