CONCLUSION 371 



The same bill winds up with the following startling 

 epilogue : — 



"The Rumsey Machine, through Winchester, hung on Steel Springs 

 begins Flying on the 3rd of April from London to Toole in one day." 



Here is another characteristic announcement from the 

 Daily Advertiser of April 9, 1739 : — 



" The Old Standing Constant Froom Flying Waggon, in three days, sets 

 out, with goods and Passengers, from Froom for London every Monday by 

 One o'clock in the morning, and will be at the King's Arms at Holborn 

 Bridge the Wednesday following by twelve o'clock noon, from whence it 

 will Set Out on Thursday morning by One o'clock, for Amesbury, 

 Shrewton, Chiltern, Heytesbury, Warminster, Froom : and all other 

 places Adjacent : and will continue, allowing each person izdbs, and be at 

 Froom on Saturday by twelve at noon. If any passengers have any 

 occasion to go from any of the aforesaid places, they shall be supplied with 

 able horses, and a guide, by Joseph Chavey the Proprietor of the said 

 Flying Waggon. The Waggon calls at the White Bear Piccadilly coming 

 in and going out." 



Which reminds me that I have spoken a good deal about 

 Flying Waggons and Machines, but have never described 

 them, so that a brief description of their " more salient 

 features " may here be in place. 



I read, then, that they were principally composed of a 

 dull black leather, thickly studded by way of ornament 

 with broad black-headed nails, tracing out the panels, in 

 the upper tier of which were four oval windows, with 

 heavy red wooden frames, or leather curtains. Upon the 

 doors were displayed in large characters the names of 

 the places whence the coach started, and where it was 

 going to — another matter. The shape of the Flying 

 Machine was a matter left much open to choice. You 

 could ride in one shaped like a diving bell ; or in one the 

 exact representation of a distiller's vat, hung equally 

 balanced between immense back and front springs ; or 

 in one made after the pattern of a violoncello-case — past 

 all comparison the most fashionable shape. If my 

 readers arc tempted to cry why this thusness, I can only 

 saybecause these violoncello-like Flying Machines hungin 



