THE PORTSMOUTTT ROAD 189 



f^round on the part of the Duke of Monmouth, seems to 

 me to cast a characteristic gloom over the annals of 

 a road — not remarkable for coaching anecdotes or 

 coaching records — which has been called Royal, and 

 rightly perhaps enough, — but which has yet witnessed, 

 so far as its historical side is concerned, and so far 

 as my knowledge goes, gloomier and more tragic 

 scenes than any other of the great thoroughfares out 

 of London. 



