the life of thomas telford-第15部分

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　　　　of　the　coach　to　my　former　seat。　　'Ah；　did　I　not　tell

　　　　you　that　you　would　be　shaken　to　death？'　inquired　the

　　　　black　man；　when　I　was　creeping　along　on　my　stomach。

　　　　But　I　gave　him　no　reply。　　Indeed；　I　was　ashamed；　and　I

　　　　now　write　this　as　a　warning　to　all　strangers　who　are

　　　　inclined　to　ride　in　English　stage…coaches；　and　take

　　　　an　outside　at；　or；　worse　still；　horror　of　horrors；　a

　　　　seat　in　the　basket。



　　　　〃From　Harborough　to　Northampton　I　had　a　most　dreadful

　　　　journey。　　It　rained　incessantly；　and　as　before　we　had

　　　　been　covered　with　dust；　so　now　we　were　soaked　with

　　　　rain。　　My　neighbour；　the　young　man　who　sat　next　me　in

　　　　the　middle；　every　now　and　then　fell　asleep；　and　when

　　　　in　this　state　he　perpetually　bolted　and　rolled

　　　　against　me；　with　the　whole　weight　of　his　body；　more

　　　　than　once　nearly　pushing　me　from　my　seat；　to　which　I

　　　　clung　with　the　last　strength　of　despair。　　My　forces

　　　　were　nearly　giving　way；　when　at　last；　happily；　we

　　　　reached　Northampton；　on　the　evening　of　the　14th　July；

　　　　1782；　an　ever…memorable　day　to　me。



　　　　〃On　the　next　morning；　I　took　an　inside　place　for

　　　　London。　　We　started　early　in　the　morning。　　The　journey

　　　　from　Northampton　to　the　metropolis；　however；　I　can

　　　　scarcely　call　a　ride；　for　it　was　a　perpetual　motion；

　　　　or　endless　jolt　from　one　place　to　another；　in　a　close

　　　　wooden　box；　over　what　appeared　to　be　a　heap　of　unhewn

　　　　stones　and　trunks　of　trees　scattered　by　a　hurricane。

　　　　To　make　my　happiness　complete；　I　had　three　travelling

　　　　companions；　all　farmers；　who　slept　so　soundly　that

　　　　even　the　hearty　knocks　with　which　they　hammered　their

　　　　heads　against　each　other　and　against　mine　did　not

　　　　awake　them。　　Their　faces；　bloated　and　discoloured　by

　　　　ale　and　brandy　and　the　knocks　aforesaid；　looked；　as

　　　　they　lay　before　me；　like　so　many　lumps　of　dead　flesh。



　　　　〃I　looked；　and　certainly　felt；　like　a　crazy　fool　when

　　　　we　arrived　at　London　in　the　afternoon。〃*＇3＇



＇Image＇　The　Basket　Coach；　1780。



Arthur　Young；　in　his　books；　inveighs　strongly　against　the　execrable

state　of　the　roads　in　all　parts　of　England　towards　the　end　of　last

century。　　In　Essex　he　found　the　ruts　〃of　an　incredible　depth；〃

and　he　almost　swore　at　one　near　Tilbury。　　〃Of　all　the　cursed　roads；

〃he　says；　〃that　ever　disgraced　this　kingdom　in　the　very　ages　of

barbarism；　none　ever　equalled　that　from　Billericay　to　the　King's

Head　at　Tilbury。　　It　is　for　near　twelve　miles　so　narrow　that　a

mouse　cannot　pass　by　any　carriage。　　I　saw　a　fellow　creep　under　his

waggon　to　assist　me　to　lift；　if　possible；　my　chaise　over　a　hedge。

To　add　to　all　the　infamous　circumstances　which　concur　to　plague　a

traveller；　I　must　not　forget　the　eternally　meeting　with　chalk

waggons；　themselves　frequently　stuck　fast；　till　a　collection　of

them　are　in　the　same　situation；　and　twenty　or　thirty　horses　may　be

tacked　to　each　to　draw　them　out　one　by　one！〃*＇4＇　　Yet　will　it　be

believed；　the　proposal　to　form　a　turnpike…road　from　Chelmsford　to

Tilbury　was　resisted　〃by　the　Bruins　of　the　country；　　whose　horses

were　worried　to　death　with　bringing　chalk　through　those　vile

roads！〃



Arthur　Young　did　not　find　the　turnpike　any　better　between　Bury　and

Sudbury；　in　Suffolk：　〃I　was　forced　to　move　as　slow　in　it；〃　he　says；

〃as　in　any　unmended　lane　in　Wales。　　For；　ponds　of　liquid　dirt；　and

a　　scattering　of　loose　flints　just　sufficient　to　lame　every　horse

that　　moves　near　them；　with　the　addition　of　cutting　vile　grips

across　the　　road　under　the　pretence　of　letting　the　water　off；　but

without　effect；　altogether　render　at　least　twelve　out　of　these

sixteen　miles　as　infamous　a　turnpike　as　ever　was　beheld。〃　　Between

Tetsworth　and　Oxford　he　found　the　so…called　turnpike　abounding　in

loose　stones　as　large　as　one's　head；　full　of　holes；　deep　ruts；　and

withal　so　narrow　that　with　great　difficulty　he　got　his　chaise　out

of　the　way　of　the　Witney　waggons。　　〃Barbarous〃　and　〃execrable〃　are

the　words　which　he　constantly　employs　in　speaking　of　the　roads；

parish　and　turnpike；　all　seemed　to　be　alike　bad。　　From　Gloucester

to　Newnham；　a　distance　of　twelve　miles；　he　found　a　〃cursed　road；〃

〃infamously　stony；〃　with　〃ruts　all　the　way。〃　　From　Newnham　to

Chepstow　he　noted　another　bad　feature　in　the　roads；　and　that　was

the　perpetual　hills；　〃for；〃　he　says；　〃you　will　form　a　clear　idea　of

them　if　you　suppose　the　country　to　represent　the　roofs　of　houses

joined；　and　the　road　to　run　across　them。〃　　It　was　at　one　time　even

matter　of　grave　dispute　whether　it　would　not　cost　as　little　money

to　make　that　between　Leominster　and　　Kington　navigable　as　to　make

it　hard。　　Passing　still　further　west；　the　unfortunate　traveller；

who　seems　scarcely　able　to　find　words　to　express　his　sufferings；

continues：



　　　　〃But；　my　dear　Sir；　what　am　I　to　say　of　the　roads　in

　　　　this　country！　the　turnpikes！　as　they　have　the

　　　　assurance　to　call　them　and　the　hardiness　to　make　one

　　　　pay　for？　From　Chepstow　to　the　half…way　house　between

　　　　Newport　and　Cardiff　they　continue　mere　rocky　lanes；

　　　　full　of　hugeous　stones　as　big　as　one's　horse；　and

　　　　abominable　holes。　　The　first　six　miles　from　Newport

　　　　they　were　so　detestable；　and　without　either

　　　　direction…posts　or　milestones；　that　I　could　not　well

　　　　persuade　myself　I　was　on　the　turnpike；　but　had

　　　　mistook　the　road；　and　therefore　asked　every　one　I

　　　　met；　who　answered　me；　to　my　astonishment；　'Ya…as！'

　　　　Whatever　business　carries　you　into　this　country；

　　　　avoid　it；　at　least　till　they　have　good　roads：　if　they

　　　　were　good；　travelling　would　be　very　pleasant。〃*＇5＇



At　a　subsequent　period　Arthur　Young　visited　the　northern　counties；

but　his　account　of　the　roads　in　that　quarter　is　not　more

satisfactory。　Between　Richmond　and　Darlington　he　found　them　like　to

〃dislocate　his　bones；〃　being　broken　in　many　places　into　deep　holes；

and　almost　impassable；　〃yet；〃　says　he；　〃the　people　will　drink　tea！〃

a　decoction　against　the　use　of　which　the　traveller　is　found

constantly　declaiming。　　The　roads　in　Lancashire　made　him　almost

frantic；　and　he　gasped　for　words　to　express　his　rage。　　Of　the　road

between　Proud　Preston　and　Wigan　he　says：　〃I　know　not　in　the　whole

range　of　language　terms　sufficiently　expressive　to　describe　this

infernal　road。　　Let　me　most　seriously　caution　all　travellers　who

may　accidentally　propose　to　travel　this　terrible　country；　to　avoid

it　as　they　would　the　devil；　for　a　thousand　to　one　they　break　their

necks　or　their　limbs　by　overthrows　or　breakings…down。



They　will　here　meet　with　ruts；　which　I　actually　measured；　four　feet

deep；　and　floating　with　mud　only　from　a　wet　summer。　　What；

therefore；　must　it　be　after　a　winter？　　The　only　mending　it　receives

is　tumbling　in　some　loose　stones；　which　serve　no　other　purpose　than

jolting　a　carriage　in　the　most　intolerable　manner。　　These　are　not

merely　opinions；　but　facts；　for　I　actually　passed　three　carts

broken　down　in　those　eighteen　miles　of　execrable　memory。〃*＇6＇



It　would　even　appear　that　the　bad　state　of　the　roads　in　the　Midland

counties；　about　the　same　time；　had　nearly　caused　the　death　of　the

heir　to　the　throne。　　On　the　2nd　of　September；　1789；　the　Prince　of

Wales　left　Wentworth　Hall；　where　he　had　been　on　a　visit　to　Earl

Fitzwilliam；　and　took　the　road　for　London　in　his　carriage。　　When

about　two　miles　from　Newark　the　Prince's　coach　was　overturned　by　a

cart　in　a　narrow　part　of　the　road；　it　rolled　down　a　slope；　turning

over　three　times；　and　landed　at　the　bottom；　shivered　to　pieces。

Fortunately　the　Prince　escaped　with　only　a　few　bruises　and　a

sprain；　but　the　incident　had　no　effect　in　stirring　up　the　local

authorities　to　make　any　improvement　in　the　road；　which　remained　in

the　same　wretched　state　until　a　comparatively　recent　period。



When　Palmer's　new　mail…coaches　were　introduced；　an　attempt　was　made

to　diminish　the　jolting　of　the　passengers　by　having　the　carriages

hung　upon　new　patent　springs；　but　with　very　indifferent　results。

Mathew　Boulton；　the　engineer；　thus　described　their　effect　upon

himself　in　a　journey　he　made　in　one　of　them　from　London　into

Devonshire；　in　1787：



　　　　〃I　had　the　most　disagreeable　journey　I　ever

　　　　experienced　the　night　after　I　left　you；　owing　to　the

　　　　new　improved　patent　coach；　a　vehicle　loaded　with　iron

　　　　trappings　and　the　greatest　complication　of

　　　　unmechanical　contrivances　jumbled　together；　that　I

　　　　have　ever　witnessed。　　The　coach　swings　sideways；　with

　　　　a　sickly　sway　without　any　vertical　spring；　the　point

　　　　of　suspense　bearing　upon　an　arch　called　a　spring；

　　　　though　it　is　nothing　of　the　sort；　The　severity　of　the

　　　　jolting　occasioned　me　such　disorder；　that　I　was

　　　　obliged　to　stop　at　Axminster　and　go　to　bed　very　ill。

　　　　However；　I　was　able　next　day　to　proceed　in　a

　　　　post…chaise。　　The　landlady　in　the　London　Inn；　at

　　　　Exeter；　assured　me　that　the　passengers　who　arrived

　　　　every　night　were　in　general　so　ill　that　they　were

　　　　obliged　to　go　supperless　to　bed；　and；　unless　they　go

　　　　back　to　the　old…fashioned　coach；　hung　a　little　lower；

　　　　the　mail…coaches　will　lose　all　their　custom。〃*＇7＇



We　may　briefly　refer　to　the　several　stages　of　improvement　if

improvement　it　could　be　calledin　the　most　frequented　highways　of

the　kingdom；　and　to　the　action　of　the　legislature　with　reference　to

the　extension　of　turnpikes。　　The　trade　and　industry　of　the　country

had　been　steadily　improving；　but　the　greatest　obstacle　to　their

further　progress　was　always　felt　to　be　the　disgraceful　state　of　the

roads。　　As　long　ago　as　the　year　1663　an　Act　was　passed*＇8＇

authorising　the　first　toll…gates　or　turnpikes　to　be　erected；　at

which　collectors　were　stationed　to　levy　small　sums　from　those　using

the　road；　for　the　purpose　of　defraying　the　needful　expenses　of

their　maintenance。　　This　Act；　however；　only　applied　to　a　portion　of

the　Great　North　Road　between　London　and　York；　and　it　authorised　the

new　　toll…bars　to