Worcester daily spy., 1872-12-28
Introduction of Coaches into England.
From Harper's Magazinel

Coaches came InIo general use in England
earlier than on the continent of Europe. Qdeen
Elizabeths stale carriage was the first vehicle
which was designated by that name on the
island. In 1888 the queen rode from Somerset
house to Paurs Cross, 10 return thanks after
the destruction of the Spanish Armada, IN
coach presented to her by Henry, earl OF Aluu-
del. It is described as ga chariot Throne, drawn
by two white horses " The royal fashion found
many lmliatoS; and, although the coaches OF
that period must have Leeu clumsy and uucom
Portable, they multiplied so rapidly that Dek her,
satIrziug the iOllieS OF his day. complains that
"the wife OF every citizen mnstbe joted now
vely expressive phrase, since the coaches were
made without springs, and the roads were OF the
most primitive kind.
But long after the introduction of coaches il
was considered eiieminate and disgracelul for
men to use them. @ QIeen Elizabeth always pre-
teIred to make her journeys on horseback, and
even in old age and sickness took reluctantly to
her coach. "ln Sir Phillip Sdney's time" says
Aubrey, so famous Tor men at arms, it was
then held to be as great a disgrace lor young
gentleman 10 be seen riding IN the street in
coach rs it would now tor such one to be seen
in the street in petticoat and waisicoat; so
much is the fashion oi tue times altered" Like
most other Improvements, coaches we've vehe-
menny attacked on the gr,und that they pro.
moled efemlnate luxury. Taylor, the water
poet, declares that house keeping never de-
cayed till coaches came into England;' and
much later, in 1872, Mr. John Cresset wrote
pamphlet urging the abolition OF the stage
coaches between London and the Interior
Among other grave reasons for their suppress on
he urged that 'such stage coaches make gentle
men come to London on every small OCCASION
which otherwise they would not do but upon
urgent necessity; nav, the convenience oil the
passage makes their wives often come up, who,
rather than come such long journeys on Horse.
back, would stay at home. Then, when they
come to town, they must presently be in the
mode, get fine clothes, 20 to plays and treats,
aud by these means get such bdUit of ideness
and love oil pleasure as make them uneasy ever
after"
We are told .also that the Isiopkeepers COM
planned bitterly that they were ruiued by the
coaches. Formerly" they said, "when ladies
ana gentlemen walked in the streets, there was
chance OF obtaining customers 10 inspect and
purchase our commodities; but now they whisk
past IN the coaches before our apprentices have
time 10 cry out, "What dye lack % Another
complaint was, that IN former times the trades
men IN the principal streets earned as much as
their rents by lett0g out their upper apartments
TO members OF parliament and county gentle.
men visiting London on pleasure or business,
until the noise made by the coaches drove the
profitable lod2ers to less frequented streets. An.
other class OF men was scarcely less bitter
against the new mode OF locomouon--the boat
men on the Thames, whose business was sadly
lnteilvred wliU ny The Introduction Vi tue q ore
convenient Vehicles; and one ol tuelr DunUer
who Is k1own ~ English literature us "Iuylor,
the water poet" wiUle an lnvrcdve against the
new system, entitled "The World Runs uDon
Wheels" In this composition he vigorously