248 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



they discovered that the weight severely tried 

 weak teams over long stages, Edinburgh and 

 Quarterly reviewers prided themselves on their 

 literary weight, which Avas an unknown quantity 

 to the coachmen, who cursed them for their 

 avoirdujiois. 



These old Automedons rarely took a holiday, 

 and when they did were at a loss how to use it. 

 Like London omnil)us drivers of the present time 

 under similar circumstances, they generally spent 

 their off -time in riding on some other coach and 

 criticising the driving. The postboys were alike 

 in this respect. One of the fraternity— Tom King, 

 of the " Crown," at Amersham, spent his holiday in 

 a most peculiar manner. He had had the honour, 

 on one occasion, of driving "Earmer George" 

 post, after hunting with the Royal Staghounds, 

 from Amersham to Windsor ; and to the end of 

 his life he would do no work on the anniversary of 

 that day. After Ijreakfast he repaired to the same 

 yellow post-chaise, and sat in it till nightfall, on 

 the seat his Sovereign had occupied. Throughout 

 the day he refreshed himself liherally with pots of 

 ale, and if he took his pipe from his lips at inter- 

 vals, it was only to replace it with a key-bugle 

 and to play "God save the King." His master 

 humoured his fancy, and visited the post-chaise 

 with many others during the day, to see Tom 

 indulging in these quaint Pleasures of Memory. 



