56 HIGHWAYS AND HORSES. 



Parnell's " Treatise on Roads." Sir Henry Parnell, as I 

 have before remarked, rendered very great services to 

 his country by his advocacy of good roads. His treatise 

 on roads is one of the best ever written. 



In a journey between London and Edinburgh in 

 the year 1763 a fortnight was occupied, besides which, 

 no regular coach started except once a month. Of 

 course the roads were beset with highwaymen. In 

 those days the people in one part of Great Britain 

 knew very little about those occupying another part ; 

 the South of England to North countrymen was like 

 a foreign country, and vice vcj'sd, so also were the East 

 and West ; the people were frequently 'unacquainted 

 with anything beyond their own parish, the only news 

 which reached them was communicated to them by 

 travellers and pedlars ; a letter received at the big 

 house or at the parsonage had its news retailed 

 throughout the village and the surrounding neighbour- 

 hood. 



Fairs were in past times naturally held to be of 

 very great importance, owing to the imperfect com- 

 munication. Amongst the very first was Winchester. 

 The merchants of London used to travel to these fairs, 

 bringing with them all manner of valuable goods. 

 The great fair at Winchester attracted merchants from 

 all parts of Europe; it took place on St. Giles' Hill, 

 and it was divided into streets of booths, named after 

 the merchants of the various countries, where they 

 exposed their goods. 



Wey Hill Fair, near Andover, was another great 

 fair, and this is still continued, though not so important 

 as formerly. 



On the 2nd of September, 1789, George IV., then 

 Prince of Whales, was leaving Wentworth, where he 



