THE EARLY AlAlL-COACFTES 157 



influential friend to hring it to the notice of the 

 "Heaven-born Minister," Pitt, tlien Chancellor 

 of the Exchequer. The time, however, was not 

 propitious, for the ministry soon went out of 

 office, and it was not until 1781, Avhen he was 

 again in power, that Palmer's plan obtained a 

 trial. Pitt was heartily in favour of it, and 

 carried it into efi'ect against the unanimously 

 adverse opinions of the Post Office surveyors, who 

 resented one outside their OAvn sanctified and 

 anointed caste daring to suggest that the methods 

 of the dej)artment were capable of improvement. 

 One was, or affected to be, unable to see why the 

 post should be the swiftest conveyance in the 

 kingdom ; and to another it appeared that for 

 guards and coachmen to carry arms would be to 

 encourage the higliAvaymen — Avho assuredly would 

 continue to attack the mail — to a greater use than 

 before of pistols, so that murder would be added 

 to robbery and the country run Avitli blood. In 

 conclusion, they were all amazed that any dis- 

 satisfaction or desire for change should exist, and 

 from that amazement proceeded to argue that they 

 really did not exist. If (they said) the mails were 

 not frequent enough or swift enough, there were 

 always the expresses ready to be specially hired. 

 Now, as at that time ^ letter going a hundred 

 miles by mail would cost fourpence, and the cost 

 of an express— at threepence a mile and a two- 

 and-sixpenny fee — Avould for the same distance 

 be 27s. QcL, this surprise was not altogether 

 unlike that of Marie Antoinette, who, hearing 



