TWO FOREIGNERS ON COACHING 233 



them, to take a slight view of the charm of the country- 

 through which we seemed to be flying rather than 

 driving. 



"Our road lay through Newport — Pagnell, Dunstable, 

 St. Albans, Barnet, to Islington, or rather to London 

 itself. ... At Dunstable, if I do not mistake, we 

 breakfasted, and here, as is usual, everything was paid 

 for in common by all the passengers; as I did not know 

 this, I ordered coffee separately; however, when it came, 

 the three farmers also drank of it, and gave me some of 

 their tea. They asked me what part of the world I came 

 from; whereas in Germany we generally inquired, what 

 countryman a person is. When we had breakfasted, and 

 were again seated in the coach, all the farmers, the lean 

 one excepted, seemed quite alive again, and now began 

 a conversation on religion and on politics. One of them 

 brought the history of Samson on the carpet, which the 

 clergyman of the parish, he said, had lately explained, 

 I dare say, very satisfactorily; though the honest farmer 

 still had a great many doubts about the great gate which 

 Samson carried away, and about the foxes with the 

 fire-brands between their tails. In other respefts, 

 however, the man seemed not to be either uninformed 

 or sceptical. 



"They now proceeded to relate to each other various 

 stories, chiefly out of the Bible; not merely as important 

 fadfs, but as interesting narratives, which they would 

 have told and listened to with equal satisfadfion had 

 they met them anywhere else. One of them had only 

 heard these stories from his minister in the church, 

 not being able to read them himself. . . . 



"We now frequently took up fresh passengers, who 

 rode a short distance with us, and then got out again. 

 Among others was a woman from London, whose 

 business was the making of brandy. She entertained us 



