244 REDBOURN 



After passing through St. xHbans, Dunstable, Stony 

 Stratford, Towcester, and Weedon, it proceeded through 

 Leamington and Warwick, turning out of the direct 

 road (through Coventry) at Daventry, making the 

 whole distance 112 miles. 



Starting from London at five in the morning, my 

 functions ceased at Redbourn, a large village four miles 

 beyond St. Albans, Avhere I had to await the arrival 

 of the up-coach from Birmingham at six in the evening, 

 and then return to London, which I reached between 

 nine and ten. 



With this arrangement I was by no means displeased, 

 for the reason that everything was new to me. I 

 wanted change, and I had it, I was removed from 

 the scene of my former enjoyment, it was true ; but 

 the regret for that was counterbalanced by the satis- 

 faction I felt at being comi3aratively unknoAvn in what 

 I could but consider my present menial condition. I 

 drove none but my fathers cattle, therefore I had no 

 blustering country proprietor to bully me. At the 

 inn or public where I stopped at Redbourn the 

 passengers breakfasted, so that I collected my fees 

 without any difficulty ; and though at first with some 

 little repugnance, this was soon obliterated by the 

 generally cheerful manner in which the custom of a 

 spontaneous offering was adhered to. Another thing, 

 the coach loaded well, seldom in the summer months 

 a day passing without a full complement of passengers, 

 and, I may say, almost all of a very genteel descrip- 

 tion : so that in a little time I became reconciled to 

 my fallen estate, with which, no doubt, the certain 



