Lighting was so far from universal that Thoresby[592] 'could not but observe that all the way, quite through Hyde Park to the Queen's palace at Kensington, has lanterns for illuminating the road in the dark nights, for the Coaches.'
'Instead of Lanterns, they set up[593] in the Streets of London Lamps,[594] which by Means of a very thick Convex Glass, throw out great Rays of Light, which illuminate the Path for people that go on Foot tolerably well. They begin to light up these Lamps at Michaelmas, and continue them till Lady Day; they burn from Six in the Evening till Midnight, and from every third Day after the Full Moon to the sixth Day after the New Moon.'[595]
There was an improvement on the convex lamp, a new one, called the conic lamp, being introduced, and apparently answering very well. In the Gazette, Dec. 30 to Jan. 2, 1706-7, is this advertisement: 'Whereas Her most Gracious Majesty Queen Anne has been pleased to grant her Letters Patent for enlightening the Suburbs of London and City of Westminster, and all other Cities and Places in England, by new Invented Lights or Lamps called Conic Lamps, for 14 years; and whereas the Letters Patent for the Convex Lamps are long since expired; These are to certify whom it may concern, That by an Act of Parliament made in the 2d Year of their late Majesties King William and Queen Mary of ever Glorious Memory, all persons paying to any Lamps, distanced by two of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace, are exempted from hanging out a Lanthorn and Candle and indemnified from the Penalties contained in the said Act.'
In 1709, however, is an advertisement of yet another lamp. 'There is a new Sort of Light call'd a Globe Light, at St. James's Coffee House, near St. James's Palace, which is observ'd to enlighten the Street, and all Parts near it, with a true steady Light, and no way offensive to the Eye. The Person who contriv'd it and set it up, may be heard of there, having obtain'd Her Majesty's Letters Patent for the Same.'[596]
Ward draws a picture of the streets at night, too repulsive for reproduction—doubtless a true one—but one taken from the very lowest haunts. Gay's gentle verse, on the contrary, depicts more the inconveniences of the badly lit streets, and their results:—
That Walker, who regardless of his Pace,
Turns oft' to pose upon the Damsel's Face
From Side to Side by thrusting Elbows tost,
Shall strike his aking Breast against the Post;
Or Water, dash'd from fishy Stalls, shall stain
His hapless Coat with Spirts of Scaly Rain.
But if unwarily he chance to stray,
Where twirling Turnstiles intercept the Way,
The thwarting Passenger shall force them round,
And beat the Wretch half breathless to the Ground.
Let constant Vigilance thy Footsteps guide,
And wary circumspection guard thy Side;
Then shalt thou walk unharm'd the dang'rous Night,
Nor need th' officious Link-Boy's smoaky Light.
Thou never wilt attempt to cross the Road,
Where Alehouse Benches rest the Porter's load,
Grievous to heedless Shins; No Barrow's Wheel,
That bruises oft the Truant School Boy's Heel,
Behind thee rolling, with insidious Pace,
Shall mark thy Stocking with a miry Trace.
Let not thy vent'rous Steps approach too nigh,
Where gaping wide, low steepy Cellars lie;
Should thy Shoe wrench aside, down, down you fall
And overturn the scolding Huckster's Stall.
The scolding Huckster shall not o'er thee moan,
But Pence exact for Nuts and Pears o'er thrown.
.........
Where the nail'd Hoop defends the painted Stall
Brush not thy sweeping Skirt too near the Wall;
Thy heedless Sleeve will drink the colour'd Oil,
And Spot indelible thy Pocket soil.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CARRIAGES, ETC.
Smithfield — Horse courses — Waggons — Stage coaches: travelling in them described — Bad roads — Posting — Hackney coaches: their Fares — Hackney coachmen — State coaches — Other carriages — Suburban drives — A Mechanical coach — Mourning coaches — Harness — Sedan chairs — Chairmen.
Among the many places swept away, and yet which many of us well remember, is Smithfield, where both cattle and horses were sold; and Ward gives a very amusing account of the horse sales there. 'From thence we proceeded to the Rails, where Country Carters stood Arm'd with their Long Whips, to keep their Teams (upon Sale in a due Decorum,) who were drawn up into the most sightly order with their fore feet Mounted on a Dunghill, and their Heads dress'd up to as much advantage as an Inns of Court Sempstress, or the Mistress of a Boarding School: Some with their Manes Frizzled up, to make 'em appear high Wither'd, that they look'd as Fierce as one of Hungess's Wild Boars. Others with their Manes Plaited, as if they had been ridden by the Nightmare: And the fellows that attended 'em made as uncouth Figures as the Monsters in the Tempest; amongst these Cattel, here and there, was the Conductor of a Dung Cart, in his Dirty Surplice, wrangling about the Price of a Beast, as a wary Purchaser; and that he ought not to be deceived in the Goodness of the Creature, he must see him stand three fair Pulls at a Post, to which the Poor Jade is ty'd, that he may exert his Strength, and shew the Clown his excellencies; for which he strokes him on the Head, or claps him on the Buttocks, to recompence his Labour.
'We went a little further, and there we saw a parcel of Ragged Rapscallions, mounted upon Scrubbed Tits, scowring about the Rounds, some Trotting, some Galloping, some Pacing, and others Stumbling.