Hooke, going by coach to Colonel Blunt's to
dinner. [Wricklesmarsh, in the parish of Charlton, which
belonged, in 1617, to Edward Blount, Esq., whose family alienated
it towards the end of the seventeenth century. The old mansion
was pulled down by Sir Gregory Page, Bart., who erected a
magnificent stone structure on the site; which, devolving to his
great nephew, Sir Gregory Page Turner, shared the same fate as
the former house, having been sold in lots in 1784.] So they
stopped and took me with them. Landed at the Tower-wharf, and
thence by water to Greenwich; and there coaches met us; and to
his house, a very stately sight for situation and brave
plantations; and among others, a vine-yard, the first that ever I
did see. No extraordinary dinner, nor any other entertainment
good; but afterwards to the tryal of some experiments about
making of coaches easy. And several we tried; but one did prove
mighty easy, (not here for me to describe, but the whole body of
the coach lies upon one long spring,) and we all, one after
another, rid in it; and it is very fine and likely to take.
Pages:
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717