CONTRAST. 131 



when he first had possession of the large 

 establishment in London he had lately 

 left, stopped there on their way from 

 Shrewsbury, where they had been to 

 establish a new coach, and, having to 

 remain all night, they drank all the wine 

 and spirits the landlord had in his 

 house a proof of the former insignifi- 

 cance of the now flourishing town of 

 Leamington, with its sixteen thousand 

 inhabitants; a contrast that a paltry pot- 

 house afforded, with some of the most 

 splendid hotels in the kingdom. 



My friend soon returned, and, in com- 

 pany with the host, a merry, facetious, 

 at the same time most hospitable little 

 man, whose society I enjoyed many times 

 afterwards, I spent a very agreeable 

 evening. 



The consequence of that day's ride 

 and that evening's association was, that 

 I had to undertake to drive the London 



K2 



