240 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DA YS OF YORE 



box-seat, although perhaps already beginning to be 

 regarded as a place of distinction, was much more 

 certainly a very painful eminence. It rested 

 directly upon the front axle, and, being wholly 

 innocent of springs, received and transmitted to 

 the frame of any one who occupied it every shock 

 the wheels encountered on the rough roads of 

 that time. 



Springs under the driving-box were unknown 

 until about 1805, when they were introduced by 

 John Warde, of Squerryes, the old Kentish squire 

 who is generally known as the " Eatlier of Fox- 

 hunting." He was the first amateur coachman, 

 and in pursuing that hobby found the driving- 

 seats of the old coaches anything but comfortal^le. 

 In resistino* his aro-uments in favour of the intro- 

 duction of springs, the coach-proprietors declared 

 to a man that tlie coachmen would always be 

 falling asleep if they were j^i'ovided with com- 

 fortable seats. 



John Warde's driving exploits were chiefly 

 carried out on the Oxford, Gloucester, and Bir- 

 mingham roads. Por years l^efore coachmanship 

 became a fashional)le accomplishment, he had been 

 accustomed to take the professional coachman's 

 place on the "old Gloucester" stage, "six inside 

 and sixteen out, Avith two tons of luggage " ; or, 

 relieving* Jack Eailev and other incumbents of the 

 bench on tlie old Birmingham and Shrewsbury 

 "Prince of Wales," would drive the whole distance 

 between London and Birmingham. He once drove 

 this coach from London to Oxford against the 



