Echoes Of The Last Century.

Tour four day ' s coach begins on Friday , the 12 th April , 1706 . All that are desirous to pass from London to York , or to any other place on that road , in this expeditions manner , let them repair to the Black Swan in Holbourne , in London , and to the Black Swan in Coney-street , York . At both places they may be received in a stage-coach , every Monday , Wednesday and Friday , which actually performs the whole journey in the short space of four dales ( if God permit ) ! The coach sets forth at five o ' clock in the morning , and returns from York to Stamford , by Huntingdon , to London in two daies more , allowing passengers 141 bs . -weight , and all above 3 d . per lb .

Sir Walter Scott speaks of the Northern Diligence as a huge , oldfashioned tub . This vehicle was drawn b y three horses , and in 1745 was accustomed to accomplish the distance from Edinburgh to London in the incredibly short period of three weeks . Later in the century we find flying waggons , or flying machines , drawn by six or eight horses , striking the beholder with awe by their extraordinary speed . The shapes of the coaches varied exceedingly . Sometimes they resembled a brewer ' s vatat others a

, round-topped mass , while the most fashionable shape was that of a violoncello case . The only method of transit in many parts was by pack-horses , while stage coaches were the only method of travel for the poorer people . The incidents arising from the practices of highway robbery are too well known for it to be necessary to dwell urion them . One way , however , in which jiersons travelling in coaches were robbed isperhapsnot so familiar . The thieves

, , cut holes in the back of the coach , and snatching off the wig and head-dress of either lady or gentlemen , would bear them off in triumph before the victim had well realized his or her ludicrous loss . The newsjiapers had warnings against this practice , advising that passengers that ride single should sit on the front seat . Another method of travel in the south was by water , along the " silent way " of the Thames ; and this , also , was not without its dangers ,

for freshwater pirates were ever on the look-out for defenceless passengers or ill-guarded vessels . Sea voyages are nearly always attended with fear , if not actual danger , but in the days of which we speak they were undertakings of serious moment . National foes , smugglers , and pirates abounded on every sea : charts were rudimentary and insufficient , while beacons and lighthouses were few and far between . In short , it may be said that in the last century , less even than now , was the sailor ' s lot a happy one .

Again , returning to terra firma . we will hearken to the most deplorable cry that comes down from those times . Duelling was a daily practice ; it has been called an honourable profession , and was employed upon the slig htest pretext . Did two sworn friends differ over the proposing of a toast , or the discussion of a political questionjthe only way to settle the dispute was to draw swords or order pistols , and immediately proceed to bloodshed . So ordinary were duels in occurrence that they comparativelrarelwere mentioned

y y in the newspapers , and when they were noticed it was with an indifference that speaks more loudly against the custom than the most violent denunciation would have done . Here is an extract from the London Magazine , 173 & : — Thursday , 7 th August . —About six this morning a duel was fought near the Horse Guard House , at Kensington , between James Lee , of the County of Salop , Esq ., and Jonathan Andrews , Esq ., an Ensign in Colonel Reed ' s regiment of Foot , at Gibraltar ; when , after several the former received

passes , a slight wound in his left breast , and the other was run through his body , and died on the spot . Mr . Andrews gave the challenge , and they fought at first in the Privy Garden j but Mr . Lee ' s sword being broke , they were parted , and went home to their lodgings , which was in the same house . Mr . Andrews would not rest , but challenged him again , and so met his fate . No novel of the period was complete without its duels , for in actual life they were part of the dailroutine . Occasionallboth the rincipals were

y y p killed , as in the famous duel between the Duke of Hamilton and Lord Mohun , in which also the seconds , Hamilton and Macartney , were wounded . This was in Hyde Park , November , 1712 . The increasing prevalence of duelling tended to its abandonment , for so many people of low degree attempted to settle their