THE COACHING REVIVAL. 301 



of SQ/. gs. for 43 horses sold, but one of them fetched 200 

 guineas, the total sum being 3,5847. 45-., and 9 of the horses 

 running to three figures. The Guildford horses, which have 

 always sold well, averaged 80 \ guineas for 19 lots; and 46 

 horses from the Portsmouth Rocket realised 1,928 guineas, 

 giving an average price of 44 guineas. In 1878 the Brighton 

 average was 57 ; the Guildford 65, and the Oxford 82.^. In 

 '1882, 25 lots from the Guildford coach sold for 2,2077. 2s., 

 yielding an average of 887. 5^. 8d. ; in the following year 747. 2s. 

 was the average, and in 1884 777. ijs. 6d. During the last, 

 mentioned three years the Windsor and Dorking horses aver- 

 aged about 6o7. each; while in 1883 and 1884, the Margate 

 and Canterbury Champion horses brought about 6o7. apiece. 

 In 1885 the averages were as follows : Guildford (2 3), 747. ios., 

 the highest price 120 guineas ; Dorking (13), 567. ios. ; East- 

 bourne and Brighton (28), 447. 15^. ; Margate and Canterbury 

 (10), 467. 6s. ; while in 1886 the Windsor averaged 61 guineas ; 

 and in 1887 the 31 horses from the New Times -sold for 

 737. 145-. zd. each. 



Although the coaching revival was first matured in London, 

 the taste for driving ultimately extended to the provinces, 

 though to a less extent than might reasonably have been 

 expected. The purely business affairs which have always been 

 in the country, running under the name of coaches often 

 omnibuses or breaks do not come within the scope of these 

 remarks. Though unquestionably useful as a means of com- 

 munication, there is scarcely one, within the writer's knowledge, 

 a journey on which can be said to have afforded pleasure. 

 ' Well-whipped horses,' more than half worn out, a slow rate 

 of progression, and a driver they are not always coachmen 

 not possessed of the proverbial 'fund of anecdote,' do not 

 conduce to pleasurable sensations. It is not pretended that 

 this description applies to every public conveyance running in 

 the country ; but, unfortunately, it is too true in respect of 

 many. The following remarks, therefore, relate only to those 

 coaches started on somewhat the same footing as the London 



