164 POST-HORSE DUTY. 



reached the meridian of life, and to all 

 appearance was moving in a respectable 

 sphere. His manners and speech were 

 homely, but not coarse, his conversation 

 fluent on all matters of business of any 

 and every description ; he was apparently 

 of a kindly disposition, his spirits were 

 always good, and he was ready to enjoy a 

 joke, though at his own expense. As a 

 proof of this I must mention, that among 

 his multitudinous affairs for he dabbled 

 in anything where there was a chance of 

 gain he was a contractor, or farmer, 

 of the Post-horse Duty, a part of revenue 

 arising from and paid by those who were 

 licensed to let horses for hire, which 

 duty was put up to public tender by 

 the commissioners at Somerset House 

 every third year, England and Wales 

 being divided into districts, each district 

 containing six or seven counties Scot- 

 land being a district of itself. 



