u 4 MEN OF PAST 



His lordship had a large stud, but did little good with 

 any of them. The sires were indifferent and the dams 

 unfashionable, enough to account for the result. His 

 great delight was in match-making. In this amusement 

 he was a perfect fortune to the Admiral, with whom he 

 usually matched, although he occasionally threw away 

 a slice of his good things in the direction of others. He 

 rarely seemed pleased with winning a feat, indeed, 

 which he seldom accomplished. But if he had a suc- 

 cessful day, he would make no match that night for the 

 next day. On the other hand, if beat any number of 

 times, he would match recklessly for the next day, and 

 to the end of the week. 



His eccentricity was exhibited on one occasion when, 

 looking at one of the over-night handicaps at New- 

 market, he pointed out to the Admiral that he was un- 

 fairly weighted in having at least a stone too little on his 

 horse, and wished the weight put up by that much. The 

 matter was rectified as he desired, and the result proved 

 that he was not far wrong, for the horse was only beaten 

 by a short head. Would anyone think of doing such a 

 thing nowadays ? He rarely bought or sold a horse ; 

 and, in order to make room for his annual number of 

 yearlings, he would shoot all he considered useless at the 

 end of the Houghton Meeting. He objected to name his 

 horses, and there was no end to the confusion caused by 

 the endless Barbatus and other colts, and Miss Whip 

 fillies. He was by no means a heavy bettor, though, 

 when Lord Kelborne, he lost a heavy stake over the 

 St. Leger 27,000 in Mameluke's year ; and this loss, 

 it may be, gave him a distaste to heavy wagering in later 

 days, when he kept horses of his own. Though, when 

 Lord George Bentinck had Gaper for the Derby, and 

 wanted a large bet, he offered to accommodate him by 



