334 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS 01 YORE 



book, chiefly of stodgy historical and topographi- 

 cal information, published in 1726, sufRcientl}^ 

 informs us. 



"AVeeping Cross" is the name of a sjiot just 

 outside Salisbury, supposed to have taken its 

 nam(^ from being the spot where friends and rela- 

 tives took leave of travellers, with little prosj^ect 

 in their minds of seeing them again. There is 

 another " "VVeei:)ing Cross " on the London side of 

 Shrewsbury, near Emstrey Bank, about a mile 

 from the town and overlookino; the descending 

 road, Avhence the j^i'ogress of the travellers could 

 be followed until distance at last hid them from 

 view. There are, doubtless, other places so 

 ■named throughout the country. The oft-repeated 

 legendary statement that travellers usually made 

 their wills before setting out is thus seen to be 

 reasonable enough, but it is specifically supported 

 l)y the author of Letters from a Gentteinaii in the 

 North of Scotland, who, writing about 1730, says : 

 " Tlie llighlaiids are but little knoAvn, even to the 

 inhabitants of the low country of Scotland, for 

 they have ever dreaded the difficulties and dangers 

 of travelling among the mountains; and wIkmi 

 some extraordinary occasion has obliged any one 

 of them to such a i)rogress, he has, generally 

 speaking, made liis testament before he set out, 

 as though lie were entering upon ji long and 

 dangerous sea-voyage, wherein it A\as very d()ul)t- 

 fnl if lie should (^ver return." 



When Airs. Calderwood, of Toltoji and Coltness, 

 made a journey from Scotland into Engl ind in 



