286 COACHING DAYS AND COACHING WAYS 



discover. The fact remains that there were twenty or 

 more drawn up at a time here at seven o'clock in the 

 morning. And such an outcry attending their arrival, 

 such a clattering of hoofs, clanging of bugles, slamming 

 of doors and stamping of feet on splash boards, as 

 never was heard, well, out of Islington ; and through all 

 this din the raucous voice of the ostler continually sounds, 

 like the cry of a mediaeval herald with a cold in his head 

 announcing the entry of distinguished competitors to a 

 tournament. And he announces famous names though 

 they are recognized as such no longer. They made our 

 fathers' blood boil at times if we are to believe De 

 Quincey. These names — the York Highflyer, the 

 Leeds Union, the York Express, the Stamford Regent, 

 the Rockingham, the Truth and Daylight — made our 

 fathers' blood boil as these famed coaches carried north- 

 wards the heart-stirring news of Vittoria, or of Water- 

 loo ! But times are changed — such national telegrams 

 (when we have them to transmit) are transmitted silently 

 and decorously, by the telegraph. There is no adver- 

 tisement possible in the way we travel now, except on 

 the walls of railway stations — and of this latter form I 

 regret to say Mr. Ruskin does not approve. 



But to return to ourselves and the Stamford Regent. 

 The announcement of the Truth and Daylight coach 

 makes us hope that we too, shortly, may see the sun. 

 We see it in due course, as our steaming team breasts 

 the ascent to Highgate archway. The sun springs 

 lurid from a cloud of yellow mist. The great city lies 

 before us, the coverlet of the fog but half withdrawn 

 from her disturbed sleep. The dawn from Highgate is 

 doubtless a grand sight. But it unfortunately inspires 

 my next neighbour on the box seat with the idea that 

 he is a Constable — this always occurs. He determines 

 to paint the salient landscape — this always occurs too. 

 I ask Hennesy at what point we may discern the bourn 

 of the next public house. He says that the Green Man 

 at Barnet is the first change, and expatiates on the 



