Phaeton (carriage) The Keystone Cops drove phaetons, either Model Ts or Model As. In Frances Burney's novel, "Evelina" (1778), young gentlemen race their phaetons on the public highways of Clifton, near Bristol, not without incident. In Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice", Mr Collins says of Lady Catherine De Bourgh's daughter, "she is perfectly amiable, and often condescends to drive by my humble abode in her little phaeton and ponies." In Anne Brontë's "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" (1848), Mr. Huntingdon drives a "light phaeton" that comes "bowling merrily up the lawn" (Ch. 18). The sporty character of the carriage reflects Huntingdon's devil-may-care
HMS Phaeton (1782) sailed from Nantes on the 17 of February and ten days later had captured the packet ship "Princess Elizabeth", which was her only prize. On 28 May, "Phaeton", , and the hired armed lugger "Speedwell" detained "Frederickstadt". On 16 September "Phaeton" took the 6-gun "Chasseur". Then two days later she took the privateer "Brunette". Then with "Unite" she took 16-gun "Indien" on 24 September off the Roches Bonnes. On 9 October "Unite" captured "Découverte", with the 32-gun frigate "Stag" and "Phaeton" in company. "Phaeton" also recaptured three British vessels. These were "Adamant" (24 September), "Arcade" (3 October), and "Recovery" (20