THE GOLDEN AGE, 1824— 1848 i8t 



Going up-liill one walked, to ease the horses, 

 insides and outsides then equal ; the insides, 

 greatly condescending, holding converse with the 

 occupants of the roof, always, however, with the 

 strict understanding — no less strict if not mentioned 

 ■ — that this gracious act must not be taken advan- 

 tage of l)y those outsiders claiming acquaintance 

 when the coach stopped at the inns, Avhere this 

 all-important difference in caste Avas recognised 

 by distinct eating apartments being provided. 



Those were the good old days, according to 

 this critic, when these customs were strictly 

 observed, and when there was not only time to 

 eat, but almost to digest at coach-dinners and 

 breakfasts ; when, too, there were generally a 

 few minutes to spare while the horses were being 

 got ready, so that the passengers could wander 

 round the town and copy any curious epitaphs 

 for the Gentleman s Magazine, or do a little 

 shopping. 



Coachmen Avere of somewhat similar opinions. 

 "Lord! sir," said Hine, coach-proprietor and 

 coachman on the Brighton Koad, in 1831, who 

 was, much against his Avill, obliged to accelerate 

 his coaches in order to keep pace with newcomers, 

 but did not relish the necessity, " we don't travel 

 half so comfortably now as Ave used to do. It 

 is all hurry and bustle noAvadays, sir — no time 

 even for a pipe and glass of grog." Not comfort- 

 able for the coachmen, Avho sadly missed their 

 Avayside, and often Avholly unauthorised, halts. 

 Cobbett, surly though his nature was, could 



