122 ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



underrate the merits of " The Beehive " and its econo- 

 mists, I beg pardon very sincerely for so doing. But 

 having an unhappy prejudice against cheap articles in 

 general, of all cheap things in this world, " except cheap 

 wine," I hold cheap coaches in the greatest and most 

 particular abomination ; and whenever I see the words 

 " cheap travelling " posted up at the door of an office, I 

 always feel disposed involuntarily to add " and nasty " 

 to the advertisement. I recognised the other day a well- 

 known face on the " Royal Clarence," through Horsham 

 and Kingston, and found on enquiry that it belonged to 

 " The Holmes," brother to my old acquaintance Chris- 

 topher of Oxford, one of the largest country proprietors 

 going, and the sharpest thorn that old Costar ever had 

 or will have in his side. Will Mr. Goodman forgive me 

 if I tell him that I looked twice before I could believe 

 the evidence of my eyes, that it bore the name of the pro- 

 prietor of the " Regent " and " New Times" ! Holmes 

 and his son are both at work on this coach, but I certainly 

 cannot compliment them on the appearance of their cattle, 

 into Brighton at least, and if Mr. Goodman remembers 

 some observations he once made at a coach dinner at 

 Huntingdon about one of the " Stamfords," on which he 

 and I were travelling, he will find them apply pretty 

 closely to this namechild of the late Lord High Admiral. 

 I should observe that Holmes himself takes the " Clarence" 

 from Horsham to Kingston, and having lately had an 

 opportunity of comparing his stock with that of his 

 partner into Brighton, I was not a little struck with the 

 difference of condition ; but twelve miles an hour over 



