of timber from the mouths of the Northumbrian coalpits to the banks of the Tyne. 2. There was very little internal communication by water. A few attempts had been made to deepen and embank the natural streams, but with slender success. Hardly a single canal had been even projected. 3. It was by the highways that both travellers and goods generally passed from place to place; and those highways appear to have been far worse than might have been expected from the degree of wealth and civilisation which the nation had even then attained. On the best lines of communication the ruts were deep, and the way often such as it was hardly possible to distinguish, in the dusk, from the uninclosed heath and fen which lay on both sides. 4. It was only in fine weather that the whole breadth of the road was available for wheeled vehicles. Often the mud lay deep on the right and the left; and only a narrow track of firm ground rose above the quagmire. At such times obstructions and quarrels were frequent, and the path was sometimes blocked up during a long time by carriers, neither of whom would break the way. It happened almost every day, that coaches stuck fast, until a team of cattle could be procured from some neighbouring farm, to tug them out of the slough. 5. On the best highways heavy articles were, in the time of Charles II., generally conveyed from place to place by waggons. In the straw of these vehicles nestled a crowd of passengers who could not afford to travel by coach or on horseback, and who were prevented by infirmity, or by the weight of their luggage, from going on foot. 6. On byroads, and generally throughout the country north of York and west of Exeter, goods were carried by long trains of pack-horses. These strong and patient beasts were attended by a class of men who seem to have borne much resemblance to the Spanish muleteers. A traveller of humble condition often found it convenient to perform a journey mounted on a pack-saddle between two baskets, under the care of these hardy guides. The expense of this mode of conveyance was small. But the caravans moved at a foot's pace; and in the winter the cold was often insupportable. 7. The rich commonly travelled in their own carriages, with at least four horses. A coach and six is in our time never seen, except as part of a pageant. The frequent mention, therefore, of such equipages in old books is likely to mislead us. We attribute to magnificence what was really the effect of a very disagreeable necessity. People in the time of Charles II. travelled with six horses, because with a smaller number there was great danger of sticking fast in the mire. Nor were even six horses always sufficient. On one occasion, when a country gentleman was on his way to London, all the exertions of six beasts, two of which had been taken from the plough, could not save the family coach from being embedded in a quagmire. 8. At the close of the reign of Charles II., flying carriages ran thrice a week from London to the chief towns. But no stage-coach appears to have proceeded farther north than York, or farther west than Exeter. The ordinary day's journey of a flying coach was about fifty miles in the summer; but in winter, when the ways were bad and the nights long, little more than thirty. The passengers, six in number, were all seated in the carriage, for accidents were so frequent that it would have been most perilous to mount the roof. The ordinary fare was about twopence-halfpenny a mile in summer, and somewhat more in winter. 9. In spite of the attractions of the flying coaches, it was still usual for men who enjoyed health and vigour, and who were not encumbered by much baggage, to perform long journeys on horseback. If the traveller wished to move expeditiously, he rode post. Fresh saddle-horses and guides were to be procured at convenient distances along all the great lines of road. In this manner, when the ways were good, it was possible to travel, for a considerable time, as rapidly as by any conveyance known in England, till vehicles were propelled by steam. 10. Whatever might be the way in which a journey was performed, the travellers, unless they were numerous and well armed, ran considerable risk of being stopped and plundered. The mounted highwayman was to be found on every main road. The waste tracts which lay on the great roads near London were especially haunted by plunderers of this class. The public authorities seem to have been at a loss how to deal with these enterprising plunderers. prac'-ti-cal Macaulay. neigh'-bour-ing dis-a-gree'-a-ble at-trac'-tions North-um'-bri-an ar'-ti-cles at-tained' team ex-er'-tions re-sem'-blance pro-ceed'-ed in-ter'-nal com-mun-i-ca'-tion, means fen, low marshy land often or partially covered with water. ve'-hi-cles, carriages; conveyances. a-vail-a-ble, that may be used. quag'-mire, wet, boggy ground that sinks under the feet. ob-struc'-tions, stoppages. pro-cured', got. slough, a hollow, muddy place. jour'-neys trav'-el-lers au-thor'-i-ties in-firm'-i-ty, weakness of body, ailment. mul-et-eers', persons who drive mules. con-ven'-ient, handy. car'-a-vans, company of travellers. ne-ces'-si-ty, need. per'-il-ous, dangerous. en-ter-pris'-ing, bold; daring. (1) intro- means within; as introsend within; introvert, to turn EXERCISES.-1. The Latin prefix duce, to lead within; intromit, to within. (2) Juxta- means near to; as juxtaposition, a position near to. 2. Analyse and parse the following: 'It was still usual for men who enjoyed health and vigour, and who were not encumbered by much baggage, to perform long journeys on horseback.' 3. Make sentences of your own, and use in each one or more of the following words: Project, vehicle, procure, perilous. BOOKS. [John Ruskin, author of Modern Painters, delivered two lectures on what to read and how to read, in Manchester in 1864, which were afterwards published under the title of Sesame and Lilies. This is part of what this great writer had to say about 'Books.'] It is not the good 1. All books are divisible into two classes—the books of the hour, and the books of all time. Mark this distinction it is not one of quality only. merely the bad book that does not last, and one that does. It is a distinction of species. good books for the hour, and good ones for all time; bad books for the hour, and bad ones for all time. I must define the two kinds before I go farther. There are 2. The good book of the hour, then-I do not speak of the bad ones-is simply the useful or pleasant talk of some person, whom you cannot otherwise converse with, printed for you. Very useful often, telling you what you need to know; very pleasant often, as a sensible friend's present talk would be. These bright accounts of travels; good-humoured and witty discussions of questions; lively or pathetic story-telling in the form of novel; firm fact-telling by the real agents concerned in the events of passing history— all these books of the hour, multiplying among us as education becomes more general, are a peculiar characteristic and possession of the present age; we ought to be entirely thankful for them, and entirely ashamed of ourselves if we make no good use of them. |