262 COACHING. 



Rohan and two other noblemen at the head of 

 it. The decree stated that these conveyances, 

 of which there were originally seven, built to 

 carry eight persons, should run at fixed hours, 

 full or empty, to and from the extreme parts 

 of Paris ; the object being to convey those who 

 could not afford to hire carriages- 



The public inauguration of the new vehicles 

 took place on the 18th of March, 1662, and 

 was attended with much state. Three of the 

 coaches started from the Porte St. Antoine, and 

 four from the Luxembourg. Previous to their 

 setting out, the principal legal functionary ad- 

 dressed the drivers, pointing out to them their 

 duties to the public. After this harangue, the 

 procession started, escorted by cavalry, the 

 infantry lined the streets to keep them 

 clear. 



Writers disagree as to the reception these 

 conveyances met with. Sauval, in his Anti- 

 quities of Paris, afl&rms that the populace 

 hooted the drivers and broke the windows of 

 the carriages with stones ; while, on the other 

 hand, Madame Perrier, sister to Pascal, de- 

 scribes the joy with which these " twopenny- 

 halfpenny busses" were received. 



It appears, too, that the King took a trip 



