THE BRIGHTON ROAD 205 



to Lady P— -, who said, "What a pretty horse 

 you are riding," " Yes ; it was gave me by my brother." 

 How many times I wonder did the beautiful Mrs. 

 Fitzherbert, the only woman that George the Fourth 

 ever loved probably, travel from London to her 

 lodgings in the Steyne, and from her lodgings in 

 the Steyne to London ? Those journeys must have 

 been countless, and what heartburnings, what agonies 

 of pride broken and hope deferred must have been 

 suffered by the way! Not that Mrs. Fitzherbert was 

 by any means the only wounded beauty drawn moth- 

 like to the gracious glare eternally effulgent at the 

 Pavilion. Perdita Robinson was constantly to be seen 

 on the Brighton Road during her brief period of ascend- 

 ency — her turn-out faultless, her postillions pictures, her 

 luncheon bills at the Dorset Arms, East Grinstead, or 

 the White Hart at Godstone Green, worthy of the attent- 

 ive consideration of a nation who had to pay for them. 

 But why pursue further the bevy of frail beauty who 

 posted to and fro from Brighton in pursuit of the Royal 

 George ? It would be a scandalous research not requir- 

 ing much consideration. Let us look at another side of 

 the picture — a more intellectual side. 



In 1779 — three years that is to say before the Prince 

 Regent visited Brighton for the first time — Miss Burney 

 (than whom I have found no more entertaining com- 

 panion since I first set out on the roads) came here in 

 company with Mr., Mrs., Miss, and Miss Susan Thrale. 

 She travelled in a coach with four horses ; the servants 

 travelled in a chaise, and two men additionally accom- 

 panied them on horeback. The procession started from 

 Streatham, and took the Reigate and Cuckfield route ; 

 and they were obliged to stop for some time at three 

 places on the road. Of Reigate Miss Burney has only 

 to remark that " it is a very old, half-ruined borough ; " 

 and that a high hill leading to it afforded a very fine 

 prospect ; after which she passed on to Cuckfield, 

 where, instead of at once visiting Cuckfield Park, (which 



