BRISTOL COACHING INNS. 349 



say, was the White Lion, of which Isaac Niblett, a 

 large coach-proprietor, was the owner. It is now 

 converted into a joint-stock company's hotel, and so 

 altered that I doubt if it could be identified either 

 externally or internally with the old inn, which was 

 formerly kept by Sir Thomas Lawrence's father, who 

 afterwards removed to the Bear at Devizes, where he 

 failed. This was his last speculation in hotel-keeping, 

 which ruined him, and consequently people used to 

 say, ' It was not the Lion but the Bear that eat him 

 up.' 



There was also the Plume of Feathers, from which 

 some coaches ran, but not so many as from the two 

 inns I have mentioned. 



Another large coaching inn, which, although I 

 mention it last, was not, I suppose, the least, perhaps 

 remains more in the condition it was in during 

 coaching-days than any of the others. If any inn is 

 entitled to the appellation of old, this certainly is. 

 It has been carried on under its present name for 

 nearly a century and a half ; but there are records of 

 its having been an inn for some two or three cen- 

 turies previously. I think the old coaching bill, 

 setting forth the coaches that used to start from it, 

 should not be omitted. It is as follows : 



