1811.] 
est mile of the whole race-ground was 
Btaked out, and eight or ten horses re- 
gularly trained there, to prevent a pos- 
sibility of ~disappointment from lame- 
ness, accident, or design, On the 29th 
of August 1759, this contest, on the 
€vent of which many thousands were 
dependent, was finally decided; and 
the result was, as had been expected, 
that the Scotch peer proved an over-match 
for the Irish commoner, who soon after 
retired in embarrassed circumstances to 
Lis native country. It is to this original 
match against time, that we are to at- 
tribute all the discreditable attempts of 
2 similar kind in our own days, such as 
gallopping horses until they are lamed, 
and trotting ponies until their hearts 
break, for the gratification of that in- 
human desire of wealth, which would 
$acrifice a favourite hackney, or sell a 
fellow-creature, with equal apathy ! 
Lord March from this moment was 
considered an adept; and about ihe same 
» time took a house at Newmarket, which 
overlooked the race-ground, and not only 
gave him an easy access to the course, 
ut afforded the ready means of esti- 
mating the effect of comparative trials, « 
‘and thus approximating at least to a 
Knowledge of the muscular powers and 
constitutional strength, denominated Lot- 
‘tom by the cognoscenti, of his four-legged 
favourites. _The earl accordingly col- 
lected a choice stud, and was equally 
particular in the selection of his groom- 
oys, whom he dressed in scarlet; none 
‘of whom knew who was to be entrusted, 
until put into the scales to be weighed, 
Jn this particular he acted precisely like 
many of his contemporaries, but in ano- 
‘ther circumstance he completely deviated 
“from them, At Newmarket, as well as 
‘at Hounslow and Bagshot, the peculiarly 
apt term of confederute designates a part- 
Ter in the booty: Charles Fox, we quote 
the nathe with reluctance! was connected 
1n this point of view with the late lord 
Foley; but in respect to the subject of 
this memoir, we believe he never ad- 
mitted of any partner; in short, like the 
present India Company in respect to its 
ships, and the late Mr. John Manners 
with his annuities, he was ever his own 
Insurer, running ‘all risks, and concen- 
trating all profits in hisown person. Se- 
yeral persons of distinction proved the 
victims of his superior skill; for to him 
the great* duke of Cumberland, as he 
was called, both on account of his size 
5 * Uncle to his presgat Majesty. 
-§ “ > 
Memoirs of the late Duke of Queensberry. 
$3 
and celebrity, lost large sums, as the 
victor of Culloden was regularly vane 
quished by the Scottish courtier, Nor 
did his learning and skill in vertu exempt 
Mr. Jennings, the distinguished. aptir 
quary, from a similar fate; for notwithe 
standing the feasibility of the specula- 
tion, his Chillaby colts were all beaten 
by the English crosses of a remoter ori- 
gin: the latter indeed, does not seem to 
have profited much by approaching nearer 
to the fountain-head, | Since that period, 
he has addicted himself to far more no- 
ble, because more rational, speculations; 
the study of books and coins, the en- 
joyment of pictures and statues, and the - 
acquisition of one of the noblest and 
most expensive collection of shells that 
this country has ever witnessed. 
In 1756, the earl of March conde- 
scended to ride a match in person, Ace 
cordingly he appeared vn the ground, 
dressed in his own ranning-stable livery, 
consisting of a red silk jacket, a velvet 
cap, and buckskin inexpressibles; and 
here again he proved victorious, and 
came in first at the winning-post, amidst 
the congratulatiqgns of grooms, roughe 
riders, stable-keepers, sharpers, and game 
blers, both noble and ignoble. : 
By the demise of his relative, in 
1778, he was elevated to the ducal 
honours ; yet, by this time, his manners 
were fixed, and his habits had become 
so inveterate, that the accession ot @ 
splendid fortune, superadded to the high- 
est dignity in the peerage, could not 
wean from the low, and it may be fairly 
added, the avaricious, pursuits of the turf, 
the representative of a family which could 
boast of being descended from one name- 
sake of his own, William, created lord 
de Douglas by Malcolm Caimore, in 
1057; and from another, William lord 
Douglas, who died gallantly at the battle 
of Agincourt, October 25, 141. f 
The current of his life now flowe 
slowly along in one dull, monotonous, 
undeviating, undistinguished, course. His 
winters were spent in town; the spring 
was dedicated chiefly to the races at 
Egham, Ascott, Epsom, and Newmars 
ket; while his summers were passed ag 
his seat called Amesbury, in. Wiltshire 
This ancient house is seated on the ban} 
of the Ayon, almost within sight of 
Roman camp, and in the immediate ¥ 
cinity of the stupendous Druid temp 
called Stonehenge. This would he 
been a congenial and consecrated f 
for the antiquary; and, as Addison : 
born in the parsonage, and Gay 
rs gC 
