"Mail Coaches when George the third was King."

Evening Post, Issue 216, 21 November 1865, Page 2

" Mail Coaches when George the third was King."

— There were probably from 150 to 200 vehicles, all most carefully horsed and forming a stud hardly to be equalled in the world. Of course on this occasion each horse was picked; and I have heard it asserted that they were worth at least £100 a-piece. As the coaches arrived before the palace they drew up, and were arranged in long rows over that wide space. Then came a pause of expectation) and the crowd appeared to subside into a deep silence. Presently, two huge barrels of porter were set flowing ; and whip No. 1 standing up, with a quart tumbler filled to the brim, took off his hat, and waved it as he said, " We drink to his sacred Majesty's health — God bless him !" All his brother Jehus followed his lead. A military band suddenly woke up, and at the opening strain every head was*^ uncovered, and a loud, long shout of * God save the Queen!' burst forth from the lips of the In} al thousands. The scene, at that moment, made up though it was of ye y ordinary uviteri.ils, was excedingly gram. I have seldnm been so deeply excited ; and it was certainly owing more to the realness of what was passing than to its intrinsic impo tance. I was a very little fellow on the 4th of June, and was told by my friend to look at the King, who they said, was standing at one of the palace windows;

no I looked, and noticed a Btout elderly gentleman, in the Windsor uniform, with a star on his breast. He had a retreating forehead, an expressive eye, a rather rubicund iase, anil, though he seemed pleased, did not imprtss one with any idi.a 01 intellectual superiority. I thought they joked with me. " That the King !" I «aid ; 11 why he has neither crown nor sceptre." Nevertheless, the National Anthem was commenced, and thepeople began to shout, the ol 1 gent'eman took off his hat and bowed. It would be difficult to fiud a scene like this in other lands, for either foreigners are less loyal or more polite, and can never bg induced to express their i'ecliiiga so boisterously, j