As I Meet With The River Upwards In My Travels Through The Inland
Country I Shall Speak Of It, As
It is the channel for conveying an
infinite quantity of provisions from remote counties to London, and
enriching all the
Counties again that lie near it by the return of
wealth and trade from the city; and in describing these things I
expect both to inform and divert my readers, and speak in a more
masculine manner, more to the dignity of the subject, and also more
to their satisfaction, than I could do any other way.
There is little more to be said of the Thames relating to Hampton
Court, than that it adds by its neighbourhood to the pleasure of
the situation; for as to passing by water to and from London,
though in summer it is exceeding pleasant, yet the passage is a
little too long to make it easy to the ladies, especially to be
crowded up in the small boats which usually go upon the Thames for
pleasure.
The prince and princess, indeed, I remember came once down by water
upon the occasion of her Royal Highness's being great with child,
and near her time--so near that she was delivered within two or
three days after. But this passage being in the royal barges, with
strength of oars, and the day exceeding fine, the passage, I say,
was made very pleasant, and still the more so for being short.
Again, this passage is all the way with the stream, whereas in the
common passage upwards great part of the way is against the stream,
which is slow and heavy.
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