NEWMARKET AS IT WAS 103 



rate, to those who may be specially interested in them. 

 How changed, indeed, for the worse to-day is almost 

 everything connected with the ancient place, as well as 

 the racing itself ! Instead of riding on to the course on 

 hacks, most people now start from the Coffee Room in 

 close carriages, and are set down at the back of the 

 Stand, which they seldom leave during the races, unless 

 it be to visit the adjacent ' Birdcage,' where their wishes 

 may be gratified, or their hopes disappointed, just as 

 they may or may not see the favourite, or any other 

 horse ; as there is no certainty, but the reverse, that 

 the particular horse may not be saddled elsewhere. I 

 am not the only one that thinks so. I have heard many 

 of the old sporting habitues of the place say the same, 

 and that they now prefer Epsom and Ascot to New- 

 market in its altered form. 



But I must return to my recollections of the Bentinck 

 family. The Duke's son, Lord Henry, I have referred 

 to as being extremely fond of hunting and shooting. Of 

 the former sport he was always a stanch supporter, 

 being for many years a master of hounds. He was a 

 bold and hard rider, and performed many cross-country 

 exploits of great difficulty, in spite of the fact that he 

 had defective sight and always wore spectacles. Nor 

 was this disability a drawback to his shooting, in which 

 sport he also excelled. I have heard he could kill two- 

 thirds of any number of rooks on the wing that he fired 

 at with a pea-rifle ; and his aim was as unerring at long 

 distances at a stationary object. No doubt this mastery 

 of them created and kept alive his fondness for these 

 pleasurable pursuits. 



He spent much time upon the moors ; and it was 

 whilst so engaged that a curious adventure is recorded 

 as having happened to him. After walking from an 



