25G COACHING. 



tbe street ways, where the ruts lay half a 

 yard deep, did not admit of rapid driving, and 

 we read, even in the days of Charles II., of the 

 Royal coach being upset twice in getting from the 

 City to Westminster. 



At this date, and for some generations after, 

 the custom was, when ladies traversed the city 

 in carriages, for the gentlemen gallants to accom- 

 pany them on horseback, riding in advance, or 

 on each side. These formed a body-guard, not 

 at all unnecessary or superfluous, looking to the 

 swarms of "scourers," "knights of the road," 

 and "goshawks" who made free warren of 

 London streets and scrupled at no act of 

 violence. The picture Gay has left us of the 

 street ways in the beginning of the eighteenth 

 century will form some estimate of what they 

 were at an earlier period : — 



" Where a dim gleam the paly lantern throws. 

 O'er the mid pavement heapy rubbish grows, 

 Or arched vaults their gaping jaws extend, 

 Or the dark caves to common shores descend ; 

 Oft by the winds, extinct the signal dies. 

 Or smothered in the glimmering socket lies. 

 Ere night has half rolled round her ebon throne 

 In the wide gulf, the shatter'd coach o'erthrown 

 Sinks with the snoj'ting steeds ; the reins are broke, 

 And from the crackling axle flies the spoke." 



