rch as before. Another great road was made at the same time--that
which crosses Golden Common and leads ultimately to Portsmouth. It used
to be called Cobbett's Road, because William Cobbett, a clever,
self-taught man, had much to do with laying it out. Cobbett had a good
many theories which he tried to put into practice, some sensible, others
mistaken. The principal traces we see of him now are in the trees that
he planted, chiefly introduced from America. He thought the robinia, or
false acacia, would make good hedges, because of its long thorns and
power of throwing up suckers, and many people planted them, but they
proved too brittle to be of much use, though some are still growing. He
was a friend of Mr. Harley, who then owned Otterbourne House, and planted
many curious trees there, of which two long remained--a hickory nut and a
large tree in the drive. There was also an oak with enormous leaves, but
it was planted so near the house that it had to be moved, and died in
consequence.

These roads were for the coaches. Young folks, who never saw anything
nearer approaching to a stage coach than the drags some gentlemen keep,
can hardly fancy what these stage coaches were--tall vehicles, holding
four inside passengers and at least twelve outside and quantities of
luggage. They were drawn by four of the strongest and quickest horses
that could be procured, and these were changed about every five or six
miles, so as to keep up full speed. The coachman, generally a big, burly
man, with a face reddened by exposure to the weather, and often by a
glass of ale at every stage, sat on the box in a drab coat, with many
capes one over the other. The seat next to him was the favourite one
with the passengers, and gentlemen would sometimes bribe coachmen to let
them drive; nay, some gentlemen actually took to the trade themselves.
There was also a guard, who in mail coaches took care of the post bags,
and dropped them at the places where they were intended for. In the days
when highwaymen infested the roads the guard had carried pistols, and
still the guard of the mail wore a red coat, and blew a horn on entering
any place to warn the people to bring out their post bags and exchange
them for others.

One or two coaches kept their horses at the White Horse, so as to be
fresh for going up the hill, others at the Cricketers, while others
changed at Compton and the New Hut. Some of the stables still remain,
converted int