The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1815-12-28 00:00:00

MIR ACULOUS ESCAPE.

SIR—As I was walking down Chancery-lame
yesterday, exactly at 2:1 minutes pipet two o'clock,
a horse and cart drove by at a slow pace. The cart
had something of the appearance of a coal-cart,
and the horse was a black hs‘rse with a switch tail,
a star in the forehead, and, I think, wall-eyed—at
least, the rye of the near side, for I eat walking
on the flag-way next the city, was of that descrip-
tion; of the other eye, on the off side, I know no-
thing, as I could not possibly tee it. A lad, about
seventeen yeas of age, was standing up in the
cart. Ile was dressed in a smock frock, black
plush breeches, and a round slouched hat, falling
flat behind, something likes coal-heaver's
Ile held the reins in his left hand, and a whip in
the right, and just as the cart passed me, the horse
took fright anal set all' in a gallop. The cause of
the horse's fright I could not ascertain. The boy
had not struck the horse: therefore, it was not in
conserpreuce of the whip. The carter lied a htlyk
and white Newfoundland dog along with hint,
but it could not be the barking of• the dog,
for he had been barking all the way fioin the
time the cart came first in sight—sometimes at a
brother dog, end sometimes at a haeleoey coachman.
It must have, therefore, been something el-e that
!lightened the horse and cart. As they came
to Carey-street, an old woman at an amile-
stall gave a squall, and this appeared to make the
!tense mend his speed. Ile daubed on, however,
without any obstruction, until he came to the end
of the lute oppa•site the Inner Temple-gate, where
he met a waggon on its way to Covent-garden. The
whey Is of the two vehicles passed within half-um-
Me lo of each other, which wait most fortunate; for
had they come into :Wheal collision, it is probable
that the cart, hieing empty, must be overturned by
the superior weight of the waggon—die latter be-
ing full of cabbages, and drawn by six horses, with
dock. d tails. The other wheel of the cart at the
same time passed within a quarter-of-an-inch of
the post at the corner of the lane, which was also
most fortunate, as, had it struck the post, it would
have been probably ()verso, or damaged. The
horse, havingeleared Chancery-lane, took his course
down Fleet-street, but as the people got out of his
way, they were not hurt nor run over. Just as he
came alongside Laurie and %Vleittle's Print-shop,
he inclined to that side of the way, and the wheel of
the cart c • g suddenly into a deep hole, a great
quatility of the I, or rather dirty water, was
thrown up. A crowd of (nions persons, both
male mid female, were at the time standing mum
the pavement admiring the prilits in the windows.
S 1111 l e of theses were bespattered on the legs and
skirts with the alit—whets, where the dirt flew
higher, had their shoulders, and even their hats be-
daubed with it. I'm tuuately, however, they were
nut hurt, a. tla ar were no statics or gravel thrown
up with the dirty tenter. The window: also escaped
nithout any isinr,., the crowd on the outside hav-
ing intercepted all the mud. lied it not been for
that ciremnstai ee, they must have been splashed
as well as the people. The horse mid cart moti-
oned their way down Fleet-street, until they
came to Fleet Market. It see•uteel then doubtful
whether the horse would go up Ludgate-hill, or
go to the left up Fleet Market, or to the right,
by Wattltinan's stop, down Bridge-street,and across
Mel:friars Bridge. He did not, fortunately, take
ear one of these courses; but, on the contrary,
he menet short at the Obilmik. The troy had been
pulling him all the way down Fleet-street; but
whether he was stopped by that means, or that he
was tired, or that he chose to stop lily his own accord,
Of that he had recovered from the fright ill (11:111
eery-lane, if indeed he was frightened there, it is
impossible to say. The cart having come to al
stand, the carter got out. Ile appeared very pale
and frightened. It is it most singular and miracu-
lous circumstance, that although the horse and cart
passed alx►ve twenty hackney coaches, seven gentle-
men's chariots, three curricles, and live gigs, they
never touched one of them ; anti although not fewer
than 200 people passed up and down Fleet-street,
• on both sides of the way, not one person was hurt.
Should you, Mr. Editor, consider this worth in-
sertion, you shall hear from me soon again.
Yours,
A CONTRIBUTOR.

Monday evening., Mr. Svt.vrcri:R, the Messen-
ger, left tm u with dispatches for the 'Make of
IVEI.I.ING7ON, at Paris, from whence he will I.ro-
c•eed to Florence, with di•patches for the resident
Altuister alt (but place.