The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-03 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Autobioyraphy of a 'Stage Coachman. By
Thomas Cross. 3 vols. Hurst and Blackett.
This is a spirited work, which is written in a
very animated manner and in a dashing style. The
author narrates his varied adventures through a
long life, and the result is a very attractive record
on the whole. The work has also the advantage of
taking one back to a period which, though not re-
mote in itself, seems almost obliterated from the
memory of the present generation, when stage-
coaches were the only means of 'transit, and that
wonderful mode of conveyance which railways have
introduced was unknown, except in theory. The
reader is not confined to this subject, however, as
the whole of the first volume is occupied with the
relation of the author's early life, which was spent
in other scenes. At first he went to sea, and we
have some of those stirring representations of nau-
tical life, and the recital of some of these daring
deeds and gallant exploits that abound in the
reminiscences of a British vessel, The days in
which he sailed were most stirring ones, and every
one almost brought the tidings of some remarkable
event, or witnessed some strange occurrence that
heralded a change of dynasties or shook an empire
to its foundation, or decided the fate of thousands
in some important conflict. The hero of these
pages was compelled to quit the naval profession
in consequence of ill health, and for a long period
ho was unable to do much. At last he was cured
in an extraordinary manner, and he was engaged
in his father's business, that of a mail-contractor,
" consequently largely embarked in the stage
coach business—a business, or avocation, as com-
patible with civic or even senatorial honours,
excepting a certain desideratum, as a partner-
ship in an extensive London brewery, or a Man-
chester manufacture, as subsequent events have
shown." In consequence of various losses he was
induced to drive his last remaining coach him-
self, and from that time his adventures and
anecdotes are very entertaining. He possessed
an excellent memory, and was enabled to recollect
persons he had not seen for many years. One
time, when he turned this faculty to good account,
was when a cross old gentleman refused to allow
a child to come in the coach with his mother,
alleging that by act of parliament they were
allowed four inside and no more. The driver
replied that, the act referred to, said that a child
under seven shall not be counted as one passen-
ger. Losing his temper at being thus contradicted
on a professional point, he said, " You do not know
who I am, sir." " Yes, sir, I do," replied I, " and
have had that honour many years. Yon are Mr.
Sergeant Pell, and you once defended an action for
me at Winchester Assizes, much to my satisfaction,
and that of the court generally, of which you were
the leading star." " Have the goodness to shut the
door, sir," which I did, after putting in the child.
The author took great pride in his vocation, and the
esprit de corps that animated him imparts a vitality
to his accounts that renders them doubly attractive,
and imbues them with that interest such a con-
genial spirit can alone bestow. The pride which he
took was not a remarkable one, as all good judges
will allow, since previous to the introduction of
railways the stage-coaches of England had attained.
an efficiency no other nation could boast of. The
ameliorations that were effected are described fully
in these pages. "After repeated steps in the for-
ward direction, the new and elegant telegraph
coaches made their appearance, with them
came a change in the quality of the animals,
whether biped or quadruped, attached to them
The sons of men who had long been known in the
old school, having benefited a little more than their
fathers by education, could assimilitate themselves
better to the manners and understanding of a
very different grade of travellers—while the great
improvement in the pace and sort of animal re-
quired, rendered the situation of the "dragsman,"
as he was now termed one of enviable delight.
Consequently, men of a far different class aspired
to it, yeomen left tilling their farms, men forsook
their profession—even clergymen their pulpits,
to enter upon this pleasing vocation." Further on
we meet with an account of the " four-in-hand"
then much in vogue, and in celebration of which
achievement the author composed a spirited song,
of which these are some verses :
" I drive the four best spicey breeds of any out of town,
Well matched for size, and colour too, and where's the
man to frown.
Their heads are up, they step along at such a splendid
rate,
The pride of all the gazing throng, the envy of the great.
When I push along, dash along, there's none so good as
they,
All England can't produce their match, I'll bet you, play
or pay.
" Near thoroughbred, their actions like four rowers in •
boat,
So true their step, so fast their pace, so shining every
coat.
A pack-thread string will hold them all, so temperate
and kind,
And if you only drop your hand, why they'll outstrip the
wind.

As I push al( ng, &c.
" Now if the railroads, that vile foe to our sports, should
put an end,
And England's pride, the four-in-hand, no longer have
a friend,
To some lone spot I R ill retire, and dream upon the past,
And live again, on what was once, the fastest of the fast.
When I used to push along, &e."
In the course of his career the author met with
many exciting adventures that are always related
in an impressive manner, and the various occasions
when he met with the notabilities of the day are very
interesting to dwell upon. Altogether in this
chronicle of an eventful life the reader will meet
with much that is curious, and much that is new,
and all who would recall a state of things now'
fallen into desuetude, through the overwhelming
tide of chance and change to which the best of
human institutions are liable ; will do well to
peruse these animated pages. They display great
skill in their arrangements, and evince considerable
knowledge of passing events, hence they can lay
claim to possessing merit in their peculiar style,
and may expect a fair share of success. Many will
derive information concerning men and things of an
earlier generation in this stirring and spirited
work, which possesses, among other qualifications,
the valuable one of offending the prejudices or
partialities of no class, while at the same time its
own opinions and notions are frankly and fear-
lessly expressed.

FROM CHINA TO INDIA OVERLAND.

The following is an extract of a letter from a
captain in the Royal Artillery, dated Shanghai,
February 6 :—" The arrangements for the expedi-
tion are now pretty complete. The party consists,
besides myself, of Major Sarel, of the 17th Lancers,
and late Aide-de-Camp to Sir Hope Grant, Dr.
Barton, an Englishman, giving up practice here,
Mr. Schereschewsky, who undertakes to interpret
for us, while he goes under the auspices of an Ame-
rican missionary society, four Chinamen, and four
Sikhs, whom we have obtained from the 11th
Punjab Infantry here. The whole expense will
fall on the three of us, but we expect when we
get through that the Indian Government will
at least find the interpreter and Chinese passages
back to this country. The General has sanction-
ed my drawing advanced pay, and I believe
that the expense will not outrun my pay accord-
ing to the Indian rate. My proper battery goes
to the Mauritius this year, and I have obtained
nine months' leave, with orders to report to the
Adjutant General in India, and believe there will
be no difficulty in getting an extension of leave to
England. We take with us small canvass tents,
although I fancy, as long as we are in China Proper,
we shall rcquire to use them but little. We have a
boat also, built in compartments which screw toge-
ther, and in which, if it stand the transport across
the mountains west of China, we hope to explore
some of the little-known Thibetian lakes. Of gins
yc-loading rifle,
firearms,aagsohoadrlyp,ssubprepeh
l my
and a Colt's revolver. We take a little war paint
abneidngriflaesdowueblheagvuen
(regimentals) for the purpose of creating an impos-
ing appearance, and we are going to rig the doctor
in a staff uniform. In order that you nay be able to
trace our intended route on the map I give you the
folio wing programme :—The naval squadron will
be composed of some 10 or 12 vessels, which will
leave Shanghai on the 10th inst. A consul will be
established at Chin kiang, another near the Peyang
Lake, and a third at Han-kow, about 700 miles up
the river. Thence the force will be reduced to small
surveying vessels, and I don't think will get above
Kivei, where there are said to be rapids, but we
hope, of course, that they may get much further.
Our party will be on board one of the steamers up
to Han-kow, where we shall probably charter a na-
tive boat and be towed, after which we must make
the best of our way in the native fashion, up the
Yang-tze as far as Chung-king, in the province of
Sechuen, where we intend taking to the land, reach-
ing Ching-tu, the capital or the province, and
thence proceeding most likely by the route by
which the Abbe Hue was sent back a prisoner from
Lassa (see Hue's " Tartary and Thibet" and " Chi-
nese Empire"). From Lassa our course will be
along the north side of the Himalayas to the source
of the Indus, and then through the mountains,
coming oat into North-Western India about Simla
in October or November. You must not expect to
hear from me for the next six weeks, as the first
chance for a letter will be by the returning squad-
ron down the Yang-tze."

SANKOLINSIN, THE CHINESE GENERAL.—A
private letter from China states :—" The notorious Chinese
general, Prince Sankolinson, is to be hung and beheaded,
for allowing the Fancrties (English) to get to Pekin."