CHAPTER I.

ANCIENT CHARIOTEERS—CELEBRATED WHIPS—INTRODUCTION OF CARRIAGES INTO ENGLAND—MR. CRESSET'S PAMPHLET—THE STATE OF THE ROADS IN 1739—DANGEROUS CONVEYANCES—THE FLYING COACH OF 1669—DEAN SWIFT'S POETICAL LINES ON HIS JOURNEY TO CHESTER—DISCOMFORTS OF INSIDE TRAVELLING—TRAVELLING IN BYGONE DAYS1

CHAPTER II.

DANGERS OF TRAVELLING—ANECDOTES OF HIGHWAYMEN—INNKEEPERS AND HIGHWAYMEN—STAGE-COACH ROBBERIES—A 'CUTE LADY—A JOURNEY TO LONDON UNDER DIFFICULTIES—TRAVELLING IN 1770—VANBRUGH'S DESCRIPTION OF AN M.P.'S JOURNEY—SYDNEY SMITH ON MODERN IMPROVEMENT25

CHAPTER III.

SLOW COACHES—FAST COACHES—"THE WONDER" AND "BLENHEIM"—PUBLIC DINNERS TO THE DRIVERS—PRESENTATION OF A SILVER CUP TO A DRIVER OF "THE BLENHEIM"—THE YOUNG OXONIANS FAIRLY TAKEN IN—NIMROD ON THE SHREWSBURY AND CHESTER "HIGHFLYER"—BANEFUL EFFECTS OF RAILWAYS ON THE ROAD—"THE DESERTED VILLAGE"—WONDERFUL FEAT OF LOCOMOTION 49

CHAPTER IV.

JOURNEY TO BATH IN THE PALMY DAYS OF COACHING—A DRIVING GIOVANNI—"PARSON DENNIS"—CONTRAST TO THE ABOVE—TENNANT'S DESCRIPTION—THE OLD BRIGHTON ROAD—MODERN IMPROVEMENTS—A SQUIRE OF 1638 67

CHAPTER V.

COACH versus RAIL—DESCRIPTION OF A COACH JOURNEY FROM LONDON TO BATH—DIFFERENCES OF OPINION—THE COACH DINNER—LUXURIOUS LIVING—SNUG HÔTELLERIES—ENGLISH versus FOREIGN COOKING 87

CHAPTER VI.

"MOVING ACCIDENTS" BY RAIL AND COACH—SHORT TIME FOR THE ISSUE OF RAILWAY TICKETS—RECKLESS DRIVERS—AN AFFAIR OF HONOUR—ANECDOTE OF THE LATE DUKE OF WELLINGTON 101

CHAPTER VII.

TRAVELLING IN IRELAND—BIANCONI'S CARS—JOURNEY FROM CORK TO DUBLIN IN A POST-CHAISE—IRISH WIT—A POOR-LAW COMMISSIONER—MR. PEABODY—SIR WALTER SCOTT AND A GENUINE PADDY—MR. CHARLES BIANCONI—IRISH CAR DRIVERS115

CHAPTER VIII.

COACH ACCIDENTS—ACCIDENT FROM RACING—ACTIONS AT LAW—MAIL ROBBERIES—ROBBERY BY CONVICTS—A DANGEROUS START—A DRUNKEN DRIVER 127

CHAPTER IX.

EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE—COACH ACCIDENTS—DANGER ATTENDING PRINCE GEORGE OF DENMARK'S VISIT TO PETWORTH—THE MAILS STOPPED BY SEVERE SNOWSTORMS—SLEDGES USED FOR THE MAILS—DEATH FROM INCLEMENCY OF WEATHER—DREADFUL STORMS—FLOODS IN SCOTLAND IN 1829—ACCIDENT TO THE BATH AND DEVONPORT MAILS—MAIL ROBBERIES IN 1839—COACHING IN AUSTRALIA 143

CHAPTER X.

COACHING ACQUAINTANCES—STAGE-COACHMEN OF BYGONE AND MODERN DAYS—AMATEUR DRIVERS—REQUISITES FOR DRIVING—CRACK DRIVERS—A POPULAR DRAGSMAN—HIS PRIVILEGES—HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS 169

CHAPTER XI.

THE TURNPIKE GATE AT HYDE PARK CORNER—SUBURBAN AND PROVINCIAL TURNPIKE-MEN—THEIR REFLECTIONS—PANORAMA OF THE ROAD—THE "OLD WHITE HORSE CELLAR," PICCADILLY—GROUPS OF ITS FREQUENTERS 181

CHAPTER XII.

AMATEUR DRAGSMEN—THE LATE FITZROY STANHOPE—THE OLD DRIVING CLUB OF 1808—THE HON. LINCOLN STANHOPE—THE WHIP CLUB—DESCRIPTION OF THE CARRIAGES—SONG OF THE WHIP CLUB—OUTRÉE DRESS OF THE DRIVERS RIDICULED BY CHARLES MATHEWS AND JOE GRIMALDI—FOUR-IN-HAND CLUB OF THE PRESENT DAY 195

CHAPTER XIII.

OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE MEN—ADVENTURE ON THE FAR-FAMED "TANTIVY" COACH—GALLANT CONDUCT OF THE GUARD—MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT DRIVING—JEM REVELL OF "THE PELICAN"—MY UPSET—TANDEM DRIVING—THE OSTLER—COUNTRY INNS—HOTEL CHARGES 209

CHAPTER XIV.

NOBLE AND GENTLE DRAGSMEN—JOURNEY TO NEWMARKET—LORD GRANTLEY'S TEAM—A REFRACTORY WHEELER—USE AND ABUSE OF THE BEARING REIN—THE RUNNING REIN—HARNESS OF THE PRESENT DAY—THE ROYAL MAIL—GENERAL REMARKS ON DRIVING 223

CHAPTER XV.

CARRIAGES OF BYGONE DAYS AND THE PRESENT—THE CABRIOLET—ANECDOTE OF THE LATE DUKE OF WELLINGTON—A HUNTING ADVENTURE—AN EVENTFUL DAY—A LUCKY ESCAPE—NOBLE CONDUCT OF THE IRON DUKE—SUGGESTIONS 237

CHAPTER XVI.

HAIRBREADTH ESCAPES—DRIVE TO VALENCIENNES WITH FREDERICK YATES—MEET A DANCING BEAR—RESULT—WHEEL CARRIAGES IN TOWNS—STATE OF THE PUBLIC STREETS—GAY'S DESCRIPTION OF THEM—HACKNEY COACHES—TAYLOR, THE WATER POET—ROBBERIES IN LONDON—FIRST INTRODUCTION OF OMNIBUSES 251

CHAPTER XVII.

AN ADVENTURE WITH BALL HUGHES, COMMONLY CALLED "THE GOLDEN BALL"—A SENSATION AT DARTFORD—A RELIC OF THE COMMUNE—RAILWAYS—PIONEERS OF THE RAIL—INTRODUCTION OF STEAM-CARRIAGES ON ROADS—SEDAN CHAIRS—PADDY'S PRACTICAL JOKE—FEUDS BETWEEN CHAIRMEN AND HACKNEY-COACHMEN 265

CHAPTER XVIII.

ANCIENT AND MODERN VEHICLES—PRACTICAL JOKES IN ENGLAND AND FRANCE—FRENCH COACHES—DILIGENCES—THE MALLE-POSTE—CARRIAGES IN THE REIGN OF LOUIS XIV.—PORTE FLAMBEAUX—QUARRELS BETWEEN RIVAL COACHMEN—AN ENGLISH STAGE-COACH IN FRANCE—CONCLUSION 285