THE COACHING AGE. 



Wonder" into town? I should like to do it if I 

 can !' 



' Very good, ydur honour; I'll do my best !' and he 

 did, and Mr. Kenyon got to London first. 



This famous coach, established in 1825, kept its 

 celebrity for punctuality and speed for thirteen years. 

 It was the first coach which undertook so long a 

 journey as 158 miles in one day. 



The box-seat in those days was a seat of honour : 

 in a good, stout double-breasted coat, and with a 

 good whip to handle the ribbons by your side, with 

 rattling-bars, and with fair weather and a fine 

 country, what could be more delightful ! Instead of 

 tunnels and cuttings we had hills and dales ; one saw 

 the country and its inhabitants. The driver of a 

 coach had his privileges in those days, as the follow- 

 ing story, told by Lord William Lennox, will show : 



'When we stopped to change horses at Slough, I 

 saw the faithless Lothario [the coachman's wife had 

 given him a bunch of violets at starting] present the 

 pretty barmaid of the Red Lion with the bunch of 

 violets, which she placed near her heart. Nay, more, 

 if my optics did not deceive me, he implanted a kiss 

 on the rosy lips of the blooming landlady, who 

 faintly exclaimed, " For shame, you naughty man !" ' 



All this shows the bright side of coach-travelling ; 

 but there is another -picture, and one equally true. 



