the life of thomas telford-第13章

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were　mended　so　as　to　admit　of　stage…coach　travelling　at　the　rate　of

from　four　to　six　miles　an　hour；　the　less　frequented　roads　continued

to　be　all　but　impassable。　　Travelling　was　still　difficult；　tedious；

and　dangerous。　　Only　those　who　could　not　well　avoid　it　ever　thought

of　undertaking　a　journey；　and　travelling　for　pleasure　was　out　of

the　question。　　A　writer　in　the　'Gentleman's　Magazine'　in　1752　says

that　a　Londoner　at　that　time　would　no　more　think　of　travelling　into

the　west　of　England　for　pleasure　than　of　going　to　Nubia。



But　signs　of　progress　were　not　awanting。　　In　1749　Birmingham

started　a　stage…coach；　which　made　the　journey　to　London　in　three

days。*＇1＇　　In　1754　some　enterprising　Manchester　men　advertised　a

〃flying　coach〃　for　the　conveyance　of　passengers　between　that　town

and　the　metropolis；　and；　lest　they　should　be　classed　with

projectors　of　the　Munchausen　kind；　they　heralded　their　enterprise

with　this　statement：　〃However　incredible　it　may　appear；　this　coach

will　actually　（barring　accidents）　arrive　in　London　in　four　days　and

a　half　after　leaving　Manchester！〃



Fast　coaches　were　also　established　on　several　of　the　northern

roads；　though　not　with　very　extraordinary　results　as　to　speed。

When　John　Scott；　afterwards　Lord　Chancellor　Eldon；　travelled　from

Newcastle　to　Oxford　in　1766；　he　mentions　that　he　journeyed　in　what

was　denominated　〃a　fly；〃　because　of　its　rapid　travelling；　yet　he

was　three　or　four　days　and　nights　on　the　road。　　There　was　no　such

velocity；　however；　as　to　endanger　overturning　or　other　mischief。

On　the　panels　of　the　coach　were　painted　the　appropriate　motto　of

Sat　cito　si　sat　benequick　enough　if　well　enougha　motto　which

the　future　Lord　Chancellor　made　his　own。*＇2＇



The　journey　by　coach　between　London　and　Edinburgh　still　occupied

six　days　or　more；　according　to　the　state　of　the　weather。　　Between

Bath　or　Birmingham　and　London　occupied　between　two　and　three　days

as　late　as　1763。　　The　road　across　Hounslow　Heath　was　so　bad；　that

it　was　stated　　before　a　Parliamentary　Committee　that　it　was

frequently　known　to　be　two　feet　deep　in　mud。　　The　rate　of

travelling　was　about　six　and　a　half　miles　an　hour；　but　the　work　was

so　heavy　that　it　〃tore　the　horses'　hearts　out；〃　as　the　common

saying　went；　so　that　they　only　lasted　two　or　three　years。



When　the　Bath　road　became　improved；　Burke　was　enabled；　in　the

summer　of　1774；　to　travel　from　London　to　Bristol；　to　meet　the

electors　there；　in　little　more　than　four　and　twenty　hours；　but　his

biographer　takes　care　to　relate　that　he　〃travelled　with　incredible

speed。〃　　Glasgow　was　still　ten　days'　distance　from　the　metropolis；

and　the　arrival　of　the　mail　there　was　so　important　an　event　that　a

gun　was　fired　to　announce　its　coming　in。　　Sheffield　set　up　a

〃flying　machine　on　steel　springs〃　to　London　in　1760：　it　〃slept〃　the

first　night　at　the　Black　Man's　Head　Inn；　Nottingham；　the　second　at

the　Angel；　Northampton；　and　arrived　at　the　Swan　with　Two　Necks；

Lad…lane；　on　the　evening　of　the　third　day。　　The　fare　was　1L。　l7s。；

and　14　lbs。　of　luggage　was　allowed。　　But　the　principal　part　of　the

expense　of　travelling　was　for　living　and　lodging　on　the　road；　not

to　mention　the　fees　to　guards　and　drivers。



Though　the　Dover　road　was　still　one　of　the　best　in　the　kingdom；　the

Dover　flying…machine；　carrying　only　four　passengers；　took　a　long

summer's　day　to　perform　the　journey。　　It　set　out　from　Dover　at　four

o'clock　in　the　morning；　breakfasted　at　the　Red　Lion；　Canterbury；

and　the　passengers　ate　their　way　up　to　town　at　various　inns　on　the

road；　arriving　in　London　in　time　for　supper。　　Smollett　complained

of　the　　innkeepers　along　that　route　as　the　greatest　set　of

extortioners　in　　England。　　The　deliberate　style　in　which　journeys

were　performed　may　be　inferred　from　the　circumstance　that　on　one

occasion；　when　a　quarrel　took　place　between　the　guard　and　a

passenger；　the　coach　stopped　to　see　them　fight　it　out　on　the　road。



Foreigners　who　visited　England　were　peculiarly　observant　of　the

defective　modes　of　conveyance　then　in　use。　　Thus；　one　Don　Manoel

Gonzales；　a　Portuguese　merchant；　who　travelled　through　Great

Britain；　in　1740；　speaking　of　Yarmouth；　says；　〃They　have　a　comical

way　of　carrying　people　all　over　the　town　and　from　the　seaside；　for

six　pence。　They　call　it　their　coach；　but　it　is　only　a　wheel…barrow；

drawn　by　one　horse；　without　any　covering。〃　　Another　foreigner；　Herr

Alberti；　a　Hanoverian　professor　of　theology；　when　on　a　visit　to

Oxford　in　1750；　desiring　to　proceed　to　Cambridge；　found　there　was

no　means　of　doing　so　without　returning　to　London　and　there　taking

coach　for　Cambridge。　　There　was　not　even　the　convenience　of　a

carrier's　waggon　between　the　two　universities。　　But　the　most

amusing　account　of　an　actual　journey　by　stage…coach　that　we　know

of；　is　that　given　by　a　Prussian　clergyman；　Charles　H。　Moritz；　who

thus　describes　his　adventures　on　the　road　between　Leicester　and

London　in　1782：



　　　　〃Being　obliged；〃　he　says；　〃to　bestir　myself　to　get

　　　　back　to　London；　as　the　time　drew　near　when　the

　　　　Hamburgh　captain　with　whom　I　intended　to　return　had

　　　　fixed　his　departure；　I　determined　to　take　a　place　as

　　　　far　as　Northampton　on　the　outside。　　But　this　ride　from

　　　　Leicester　to　Northampton　I　shall　remember　as　long　as　I　live。



　　　　〃The　coach　drove　from　the　yard　through　a　part　of　the

　　　　house。　　The　inside　passengers　got　in　from　the　yard；

　　　　but　we　on　the　outside　were　obliged　to　clamber　up　in

　　　　the　street；　because　we　should　have　had　no　room　for

　　　　our　heads　to　pass　under　the　gateway。　　My　companions　on

　　　　the　top　of　the　coach　were　a　farmer；　a　young　man　very

　　　　decently　dressed；　and　a　black…a…moor。　　The　getting　up

　　　　alone　was　at　the　risk　of　one's　life；　and　when　I　was

　　　　up　I　was　obliged　to　sit　just　at　the　corner　of　the

　　　　coach；　with　nothing　to　hold　by　but　a　sort　of　little

　　　　handle　fastened　on　the　side。　　I　sat　nearest　the　wheel；

　　　　and　the　moment　that　we　set　off　I　fancied　that　I　saw

　　　　certain　death　before　me。　　All　I　could　do　was　to　take

　　　　still　tighter　hold　of　the　handle；　and　to　be　strictly

　　　　careful　to　preserve　my　balance。　　The　machine　rolled

　　　　along　with　prodigious　rapidity　over　the　stones

　　　　through　the　town；　and　every　moment　we　seemed　to　fly

　　　　into　the　air；　so　much　so　that　it　appeared　to　me　a

　　　　complete　miracle　that　we　stuck　to　the　coach　at　all。

　　　　But　we　were　completely　on　the　wing　as　often　as　we

　　　　passed　through　a　village　or　went　down　a　hill。



　　　　〃This　continual　fear　of　death　at　last　became

　　　　insupportable　to　me；　and；　therefore；　no　sooner　were

　　　　we　crawling　up　a　rather　steep　hill；　and　consequently

　　　　proceeding　slower　than　usual；　then　I　carefully　crept

　　　　from　the　top　of　the　coach；　and　was　lucky　enough　to

　　　　get　myself　snugly　ensconced　in　the　basket　behind。

　　　　〃'O；Sir；　you　will　be　shaken　to　death！'　said　the

　　　　black…a…moor；　but　I　heeded　him　not；　trusting　that　he

　　　　was　exaggerating　the　unpleasantness　of　my　new

　　　　situation。　　And　truly；　as　long　as　we　went　on　slowly　up

　　　　the　hill　it　was　easy　and　pleasant　enough；　and　I　was

　　　　just　on　the　point　of　falling　asleep　among　the

　　　　surrounding　trunks　and　packages；　having　had　no　rest

　　　　the　night　before；　when　on　a　sudden　the　coach

　　　　proceeded　at　a　rapid　rate　down　the　hill。　　Then　all　the

　　　　boxes；　iron…nailed　and　copper…fastened；　began；　as　it

　　　　were；　to　dance　around　me；　everything　in　the　basket

　　　　appeared　to　be　alive；　and　every　moment　I　received

　　　　such　violent　blows　that　I　thought　my　last　hour　had

　　　　come。　　The　black…a…moor　had　been　right；　I　now　saw

　　　　clearly；　but　repentance　was　useless；　and　I　was

　　　　obliged　to　suffer　horrible　torture　for　nearly　an

　　　　hour；　which　seemed　to　me　an　eternity。　　At　last　we　came

　　　　to　another　hill；　when；　quite　shaken　to　pieces；

　　　　bleeding；　and　sore；　I　ruefully　crept　back　to　the　top

　　　　of　the　coach　to　my　former　seat。　　'Ah；　did　I　not　tell

　　　　you　that　you　would　be　shaken　to　death？'　inquired　the

　　　　black　man；　when　I　was　creeping　along　on　my　stomach。

　　　　But　I　gave　him　no　reply。　　Indeed；　I　was　ashamed；　and　I

　　　　now　write　this　as　a　warning　to　all　strangers　who　are

　　　　inclined　to　ride　in　English　stage…coaches；　and　take

　　　　an　outside　at；　or；　worse　still；　horror　of　horrors；　a

　　　　seat　in　the　basket。



　　　　〃From　Harborough　to　Northampton　I　had　a　most　dreadful

　　　　journey。　　It　rained　incessantly；　and　as　before　we　had

　　　　been　covered　with　dust；　so　now　we　were　soaked　with

　　　　rain。　　My　neighbour；　the　young　man　who　sat　next　me　in

　　　　the　middle；　every　now　and　then　fell　asleep；　and　when

　　　　in　this　state　he　perpetually　bolted　and　rolled

　　　　against　me；　with　the　whole　weight　of　his　body；　more

　　　　than　once　nearly　pushing　me　from　my　seat；　to　which　I

　　　　clung　with　the　last　strength　of　despair。　　My　forces

　　　　were　nearly　giving　way；　when　at　last；　happily；　we

　　　　reached　Northampton；　on　the　evening　of　the　14th　July；

　　　　1782；　an　ever…memorable　day　to　me。



　　　　〃On　the　next　morning；　I　took　an　inside　place　for

　　　　London。　　We　started　early　in　the　morning。　　The　journey

　　　　from　Northampton　to　the　metropolis；　however；　I　can

　　　　scarcely　call　a　ride；　for　it　was　a　perpetual　motion；

　　　　or　endless　jolt　from　one　place　to　another；　in　a　close

　　　　wooden　box；　over　what　appeared　to　be　a　heap　of　unhewn

　　　　stones　and　trunks　of　trees　scattered　by　a　hurricane。

　　　　To　make　my　happiness　complete；　I　had　three　travelling

　　　　companions；　all　farmers；　who　slept　so　soundly　that

　　　　even　the　hearty　knocks　with　which　they　hammered　their

　　　　heads　against　each　other　and　against　mine　did　not

　　　　awake　them。　　Their　faces；　bloated　and　discoloured　by

　　　　ale　and　brandy　and　the　knocks　aforesaid；　looked；　as

　　　　they　lay　before　me；　like　so　many　lumps　of　dead　flesh。



　　　　〃I　looked；　and　certainly　felt；　like　a　crazy　fool　when

　　　　we　arrived　at　London　in　the　afternoon。〃*＇3＇



＇Image＇　The　Basket　Coach；　1780。



Arthur　Young；　in　his　books；　inveighs　strongly　against　the　execrable

state　of　the　roads　in　all　parts　of　England　towards　the　end　of　last

century。　　In　Essex　he　found　the　ruts　〃of　an　incredible　depth；〃

and　he　almost　swore　at　one　near　Tilbury。　　〃Of　all　the　cursed　roads；

〃he　says；　〃that　ever　disgraced　this　kingdom　in　the　very　ages　of

barbarism；　none　ever　equalled　that　from　Billericay　to　the　King's

Head　at　Tilbury。　　It　is　for　near　twelve　miles　so　narrow　that　a

mouse　cannot　pass　by　any　carriage。　　I　saw　a　fellow　creep　under　his

waggon　to　assist　me　to　lift；　if　possible；　my　chaise　over　a　hedge。

To　add　to　all　the　infamous　circumstances　which　concur　to　plague　a

traveller；　I　must　not　forget　the　eternally　meeting　with　chalk

waggons；　themselves　frequently　stuck　fast；　till　a　collection　of

them　are　in　the　same　situation；　and　twenty　or　thirty　horses　may　be

tacked　to　each　to　draw　them　out　one　by　one！〃*＇4＇　　Yet　will　it　be

believed；　the　proposal　to　form　a　turnpike…road　from　Chelmsford　to

Tilbury　was　resisted　〃