] and
not in St. Martin's-le-Grand, was seated the General Post-Office. In
what exact strength we mustered I do not remember; but, from the length
of each separate _attelage_, we filled the street, though a long
one, and though we were drawn up in double file. On _any_ night the
spectacle was beautiful. The absolute perfection of all the
appointments about the carriages and the harness, their strength, their
brilliant cleanliness, their beautiful simplicity--but, more than all,
the royal magnificence of the horses--were what might first have fixed
the attention. Every carriage on every morning in the year was taken
down to an official inspector for examination: wheels, axles,
linchpins, pole, glasses, lamps, were all critically probed and tested.
Every part of every carriage had been cleaned, every horse had been
groomed, with as much rigour as if they belonged to a private
gentleman; and that part of the spectacle offered itself always. But
the night before us is a night of victory; and, behold! to the ordinary
display what a heart-shaking addition!--horses, men, carriages, all are
dressed in laurels and flowers, oak-leaves and ribbons. The guards, as
being officially his Majesty's servants, and of the coachmen such as
are within the privilege of the post-office, wear the royal liveries of
course; and, as it is summer (for all the _land_ victories were
naturally won in summer), they wear, on this fine evening, these
liveries exposed to view, without any covering of upper coats.
Pages:
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57