Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-05-16
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THE COACHMAN.-A SKETCH.

JHE COACHMAN-A SKETCH.
The Coachman's eye, in fine pbrenzy rolling,
Doth glance from right to left, from left to right
And as imagination bodies forth
The distant vehicle, the dexterous Jehu
Keeps his side, and gives the passer by
nod ofcongratuation or contempt.
There is something in the nature of n
Stage-coachman that smacks, like his own
whip, Of conscious importance. He is the
elect of the road on which he travels, the il
lustrous, minated of thousands. Talk of the
King indeed the King, even on his own high
! way, is but cakes and gingerbread" to the
Jchu. For him John Boots whistles welcome !;
not so much through the goodness Of his
disposition, as through his teeth and the pub
Gcan wakes honest in his gin for him, Bet
sy the pretty bar-maid displays the symmetry
of a wcll-turned ankle, and the landlady speaks
volumes a squint
Survey him as he bowls along the road,
fenced in coats numerous as the seven bull
hides of Ajax. Listen tothe untutored melo-
dy of his voice, as he breaches the word of
exhortation TO his tits, and enforces his doc
trinc with the whip. IIark already he is en-
tering villagc-the horn sounds-the leaders
rattle along the street, and out rush the neigh
bourhood to bid him welcome. Observe lbs
| inportance--to some he gives grim nod, 10
others smile Of recognition but thrice hap
py is he who is honored with "go il Jenny"
Beautilied James thou hast lived eternity in
moment. Felix, he, nimium felix, tun
81 bona norris ~
( In the nature Of his vocation the Goa Gilman
bears no indistinct resemblance to the Poet
The one gives the rein to his horses, the other
to his Imagination ; and, when either run
wild, the consequences are equally hazardous.
The poet drives his stccd along the high road
to Panassus the coachman, more terrestrial
| in his calling, rattles them along the Kings
highway.-The poet is thechild Of feeling, dit
10 the coachman. The one feels what he writes,
the other what he drives-the one gets drunk
with inspiration, the other with gin-and, fin
ally, the one gives spur to his Pegasus, the 9TH
er to his leaders.
Independently of these poetical associations,
our hero is illustrous from his connexion with
classical lore Pelops was a coachman, and
has been mmortalized for his ability to drive
at the rate of fourteen miles an hour, by the
first Grecian bards The history Of his ivory
arm is nothing more than taphorical illus
tration of the merits of his whip hand. He
fractured it in driving for wager against
King 4Enomaus, a brother whip but it was
50 well set by Esculapius, the first surgeon and
accouchcr o! his day, that popular ignorance,
unable to account for the cure, ascribed it to
Ceres. Hippolytus, the amabe Greek dandy,
Hippolytus, with whom Diana herself was de-
ected IN Jauc pas, was another notorious
coachman, and kept the most fashionable cur
ricle of his day. 1 might quote divers other
instances which, as valpy's Grammar express
ses it, " "a familiarity with the best writers will
easily suggest but there would be no end to
my essay, for in good sooth, A" hills peep DER
hills, and Alps on Al ps arise" when l attempt
to enumerate the charotcers whom in my
schooldays have been taught TO reverence.
But in addition to such classical advantages,
the Coachman is celebrated for the morality
with which his name is associated. CAN the
worlds STAGE" says Shakespeare; and Time
may be considered as the Jchu who rattles il
along the high road of life to eternity. To re-
Elective minds this association will appear OBJ
vious, and III his more serious moment, the
philosopher will love to consider a journey to
Bath as a type Of his journey to eternity
Turn we to survey another instance Of the
Importance Of the coachman, in the tender af-
fections with which his vocation is connected.
He is the winged Mercury of love, the Cupid
Of Valentine 's-day, the legal conveyance of
reciprocal esteem from friend to friend He
alone can "speed the soft intercourse from
soul to soul,' at the sensible pace of eight
miles an hour, (ncludng stoppages) and
bring the travelled husband 10 the anticipative
optics of his wife. Sweet to behold him, in a
calm summer evening, bowling along the viii
lage enshrined like Ixion in cloud of dust.
with a crew Of breechlcss urchns screaming
welcome as he passes. A smile is on the face
Of the hamlet, and even the school master
doffs his hat at his approach. The maid SER
want rushes out in hope efa packet from her
lover and the barber, with the weekly news
paper, tossed down to him from the box, flies
pregnant with greatness, to be delivered at
the village ale-house.
With respect to his accomplishments, the
coachman is deservedly illustrious. Jfhis con-
versation has not the copious elegance Of Col
eridge, 1t has all the easy copiousness Of ma
ture, with expleiive beauties more peculiarly its
own. IL is at once nervous, flowing and an
ecdotal, enforced with energetic anathcmas,
and garnished with technical obscurities In
music he is no mean proicien' his school, as
Byron said Of Christabe, is wild and sinRu-
larly original and beautiful" and not unfre-
quently contriyes to =" snatch grace beyond
the reach Of art" Some, however, prefer the
Italian, others the Irish others the English but
prefer the whip school Of music for, like the
instrument from which its name is derived, il
is striking, flexible, and melodious; and can
imagine nothing more truly touching than 10
hear a coachman, as he travels along the road,
"warble his native wood notes Wild TO tho
pathetic tune Of the Lass Of Richmond Hill.
! or the moro passioncd canzonet OF. Sally in
our Alley.