132 THE COACHING ERA 



pidlure to Hogarth's 'Afternoon,' a standing lesson to 

 the grumblers at cold summers." 



On a cold winter's day Miss Mitford met the coach 

 again and, though greatly changed, the situation of the 

 passenger was scarcely improved: "How much happier 

 the walkers look than the riders — especially the frost- 

 bitten gentleman, and the shivering lady with the 

 invisible face, sole passengers of that commodious 

 machine! Hooded, veiled and bonneted, as she is, one 

 sees from her attitude how miserable she would look 

 uncovered." 



Fellow suffering engendered intimacy and, owing to 

 the close contact necessitated by the cramped space 

 assigned to them, it was impossible for coach travellers 

 to observe that icy demeanour, the haughty indifference 

 which seem inseparable from strangers in a railway 

 carriage. 



People of all classes and dispositions found themselves 

 together in a coach, even the fiery and the fat learnt to 

 bear with each other; though, to be sure, fatness was a 

 thing hard to forgive. One can sympathize with the 

 stout gentleman, who, anxious to ensure comfort both 

 for himself and those who travelled with him, sent to 

 secure two seats, but, on arriving at the coachyard, found, 

 to his chagrin, that one was booked outside and the 

 other in. 



The four inside and twelve outside passengers were 

 together for better or worse, and entirely under the 

 authority of the coachman and guard, which gave them 

 a sense of comradeship, so that when their first restraint 



