by Karl Philipp Moritz 1756-1793

Roof Riders

On a visit to England in 1782, young German author Karl Philipp Moritz was very excited about riding on an English stage.

1782

King George III 1760-1820

Introduction

In 1782 young German writer Karl Philipp Moritz took a vacation in England. He had certainly earned it. Moritz had worked his way out of hardship by repeatedly reinventing himself as a hatter, a poet, a journalist, a theologian and most recently as a teacher. Later, he would become a professor at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin. Here he describes a trip to Richmond, on the way to Derbyshire.

by Karl Philipp Moritz 1756-1793

abridged

YESTERDAY afternoon I had the luxury, for the first time, of being driven in an English stage. These coaches are at least in the eyes of a foreigner, quite elegant, lined in the inside; and with two seats large enough to accommodate six persons; but it must be owned, when the carriage is full, the company are rather crowded. At the White Hart from whence the coach sets out, there was, at first only an elderly lady who got in; but as we drove along, it was soon filled, and mostly by ladies, there being only one more gentleman and myself.

The man who was with us in the coach pointed out to us the country seats of the lords and great people by which we passed; and entertained us with all kind of stories of robberies which had been committed on travellers, hereabouts; so that the ladies at last began to be rather afraid; on which he began to stand up for the superior honour of the English robbers, when compared with the French: the former he said robbed only, the latter both robbed and murdered.

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Précis

In 1782, German writer Karl Philipp Moritz visited England, and took the stage from London to Richmond. Among the passengers was a gentlemen who helped pass the time by pointing out places of interest, and regaling the others with thrilling tales of highwaymen — who were, he assured Moritz, not so bad as their French counterparts.

Jigsaws

Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.

Moritz went to Derbyshire. The stage left the White Hart at two o’clock. He took four guineas, a map and ‘Paradise Lost.’

See if you can include one or more of these words in your answer.

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