174 The Old Dover Eoad, 



made a brave show, but they only promoted a brandy-and- 

 water and glass of beer trade by the way, as coaches seldom 

 stayed anywhere on our road, as the opposition was very 

 great, and the competition in rapid change of horses very 

 keen. I can see the foreigners now, all over dust in summer, 

 and miserable if it rained. They didn't enjoy their travelling 

 much, as I suppose the bitterness against England had not 

 worn out, and coachmen said it was a miracle to get a 

 shilling out of them, and some of them, when understanding 

 that a tip was expected of them, would bring out a few 

 sous, with " Ah, je comprends; c'est pour boire, monsieur ! " 

 And what pleasant music the horn, and the tramp of the 

 horses, and the rattling of the harness made, on a clear 

 frosty night, when we were all snug under the clothes ; and 

 how it cheered watchers by sick-beds to hear for a moment 

 the stir of life outside. 



There were little amenities in those days which we miss 

 now. If a commercial traveller gave one a lift, or a visitor 

 was coming or going from the house, or the coachman had 

 to leave a basket of fish from London, a glass of sherry or 

 cherry brandy, or a bouquet of flowers, or a basket of 

 strawberries cost nothing, and were thought a great deal of. 

 Never shall I forget the astonishment of one of the coach- 

 men who ran in to have a glance at the garden, and a hasty 

 view from the drawing-room windows and a glass of wine. 

 " Good heavens ! " he exclaimed, " to think that I have 

 driven past this door for twenty years, and never knew of 

 this ! " As it is a sample of dozens of views equally beautiful 

 between London and Dover, I will try and sketch it. Take 

 for the immediate foreground a beautiful lawn like an 

 emerald cloth, dot it here and there with borders full of 

 American shrubs, plant some fine mountain ash, silver birch 

 and acacia trees, and surround it with thick shrubbery on 

 either side, and a high hedge at the end of the garden 



