DANGERS OF THE ROAD. 57 



example : A friend of mine coming up to town a short 

 time since, by one of these galloping coaches, was upset 

 and much injured. On going to sympathise with him on 

 his misfortune, he informed me that the accident was 

 occasioned by the leaders taking one road and the 

 wheelers another, so between them both, over they went. 

 " My God ! " said I, " what was the coachman about ; was 

 he asleep or drunk ?" " Neither," replied my friend, " he 

 had nothing to do with it ; a young Oxonian was driving." 

 Now, Mr. Editor, it is not at all improbable but that 

 this Oxonian had been reading your magazine the night 

 before, instead of his classics, and went the next day to 

 put his theory into practice, by which my friend, a very 

 worthy man, the father of a large family, nearly lost his 

 life. 



' Whoever takes up a newspaper in these eventful 

 times, it is even betting whether an accident by a coach, 

 or a suicide, first meets his eye. Now really, as the 

 month of November is fast approaching, when, from 

 foggy weather and dark nights, both these calamities are 

 likely to increase, I merely suggest the propriety of any 

 unfortunate gentleman, resolved on self-destruction, try-' 

 ing to avoid the disgrace attached to it, by first taking a 

 few journeys by some of these Dreadnought, Highflyer, 

 or Tally-ho coaches ; as in all probability he may meet 

 with as instant death as if he had let off one of Joe Man- 

 ton's pistols in his mouth, or severed his head from his 

 body with one of Mr. Palmer's best razors.' 



In the reign of King George III., a stage coach, 



