242 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



four-iu-hand, in addition to the already fashion- 

 able and highly dashing sport of driving the light 

 whiskies, the high -perched curricles, and the 

 toppling tilburies that then gave a fearful joy to 

 the newly-fledged whip. There was not too much 

 physical exertion, endurance, or skill required on 

 the road to Brighton, which was only fifty-two 

 miles in length, and already possessed a better 

 surface than most roads out of London ; and, 

 moreover, it was a road peopled from beginning 

 to end with fashionables, before whom the gentle- 

 man-coachman could dis^ilay his prowess. It was 

 then pretty generally recognised that coach- 

 driving Avas a 2^oor sport if the ease and grace 

 of the performer could not be displayed before a 

 large and fashionable audience. That, it will l)e 

 conceded, Avas not altogether a worthy attitude. 



Many of these brilliant amateurs of the road 

 ran an essentially identical career of vicioiisness 

 and mad extravagance ; and not a fcAV of them 

 wasted themselves and their substance in the 

 very shady pursuits that then characterised the 

 "man about town." Those Avho are curious about 

 such things may find them fully set forth in 

 Pierce Egan's Life in London and its grim 

 sequel, the Finish. The endings of the Toms 

 and Jerrys of that Corinthian age Avere generally 

 sordid and pitiful. 



The truth is that the sporting Avorld Avas then, 

 as it always has been and ahvays Avill be, thronged 

 Avith the toadies Avho Avere ever ready to fool a 

 moneyed youngster to the top of his bent. He 



