A CHANGE 243 



with incidents of the court of Queen Bess, and is the 

 scene of one of the most admired fictions of the great 

 Wizard of the North. 



My evenings were spent in company with my friend, 

 who returned from his drive about six, and daily we 

 became more closely allied ; nor did he one day omit to 

 importune me to take hold, as he termed it, in which he 

 was always backed by our little merry host. To this I 

 could give no satisfactory response, as I felt considerable 

 unwillingness to ask even my father to displace any man 

 on my account. What was my surprise, then, when, on 

 his return one evening, I could but observe, though 

 always a good-tempered looking man, his eyes sparkled 

 with unusual joy as he told me that Humpy — as he called 

 him — was off; that my father, annoyed at his insolent 

 and assuming manner, had summarily dismissed him, and 

 had sent out " a yokel " with the coach, and would insist 

 upon it that the box was reserved for me. I did not 

 doubt the former part of his information, but the latter I 

 did very much. However, nothing would do, inhospitable 

 as it may seem, but that I must return with him in the 

 morning — which I did, equally charmed with my reception 

 and his good intentions towards me, deeply impressed 

 with the beauty of the county, and ready to subscribe to 

 the truth of its celebrity for good ale and pretty women. 



Arrived in London, I prevailed on my father, much 

 easier than I expected, to allow me to take possession 

 of the box ; and on the following Monday I entered 

 on my new vocation. To speak technically, the drag 

 to which I was appointed was the first, and continued 

 some few years the only, day-coach to Birmingham. 



