From Revd. EHL Reeve's Commonplace Book of 1881.
Travel
Abraham Reeve of
Hadleigh, Suffolk
He
was a man “hard as iron”, as no doubt also “as true as steel”. In the coldest weather he would crack on to
his sides, and call it “wholly warm” while meaner specimens of humanity were
nearly dead with the cold (e.g. returning from Bury [St Edmunds] one day with
his son Edward, with icicles hanging from his wig). His power of endurance was unbounded, and he
is said to have been capable of undergoing any amount of fatigue.
On
one occasion he took his two sons to London, and spurning the coach the trio
rode up together – a journey of about 60 miles – ponies having been obtainable
for the purpose suitable to the boys.
After a hard days riding it would not be a matter of surprise in this
degenerate age if such mere boys as they were at the time should feel slightly
sleepy and overcome in the evening, especially if seated after a comfortable
dinner in a crowded theatre.
Market Day
In
the old days when Abraham Reeve took his celebrated rides into market there
were no banks in the country, and no cheques wherewith to pay off large sums in
a convenient form. Once a week therefore
or at longer intervals Abraham had to take pocketsful of hard cash over with
him – and (shall I say more often?) bring hard cash back. Such was the weight, jolting upon his as he
rode, would make him stiff and sore at the end of the day.
Fast horse
Let
not the fame of George Tompson of Yarmouth sink into oblivion, whose favourite
mare, according to the account given by himself to the Rector of Raydon [Revd.
Thomas Reeve], could trot 16 miles within the hour.
Destination mistaken
Capt.
Reeve once took his seat in a coach in a London yard in order to go to
Leamington in Warwickshire. He shortly
found himself journeying towards Lymington in Hampshire. The coaches started from the same yard, and
he had embarked upon the wrong. However,
he was pleased with the day, the scenery was delightful, and it is said that he
was induced to take a house in Lymington for the summer months.
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