i84 THE COACHING ERA 



Mr. Stevenson, better known as the "Cambridge 

 Graduate," who drove the Age, for "his passion for the 

 bench got the better of all other ambitions, and he 

 became a coachman hy profession." 



The Age, the best appointed coach of its time, in 

 place of a guard carried liveried servants, whose duty 

 it was to wait on the passengers offering them sand- 

 wiches and sherry when the coach changed horses. Mr. 

 Stevenson got plenty of fun out of his coach, but as a 

 business speculation it was condu6led on too lavish 

 lines to be successful. 



Stevenson's career ended tragically soon, and when 

 dying of brain fever he asked those near to lift him up in 

 bed, then sitting in his usual attitude on the box, he 

 imagined himself once more on the Age, and calling 

 out, "Let them go, George, I've got 'em," fell back and 

 expired. 



Among others who drove regularly on the stage- 

 coaches were Mr. Richard Backenbury, who with some 

 friends put the Taglioni on the Windsor road, and 

 tooled the piebald teams himself; and the then Marquis 

 of Worcester (well known on the Brighton road), in 

 whose honour the Hon. Martin Hawke wrote the follow- 

 ing song, which appeared in the Sporting Magazine 

 for 1840: 



The Criterion Coach 



As quick as thought, there see approach, 



Swift glancing down the road, 

 The dashing gay Criterion coach. 

 With in and outside load. 



