1 64 MEN OF MY TIME 



table, he would retire to his library or study, leaving her 

 ladyship to do the honours of the table. He read or wrote 

 from ten o'clock at night until two o'clock in the morning, 

 standing at a high desk, as he thought such a position 

 preferable, for the sake of his health, to leaning over a 

 low one. He rose early, and in the country breakfasted 

 at nine o'clock, reading before doing so. He was fond of 

 many sports, though he seldom indulged in any except 

 racing. He was extremely proud and vain of his person, 

 which possibly gained him the sobriquet of ' Cupid.' He 

 considered himself, and indeed was, a thorough ladies' 

 man, and only married late in life. 



When at Broadlands, his seat in Hampshire, he used 

 to ride over to Danebury to see his horses, mounted on 

 a thoroughbred hack, and his groom on another ; and 

 starting from his own front-door, gallop all the way until 

 he reached his destination. Indeed, on arriving at Dane- 

 bury he would go round the yard once or twice, gradually 

 reducing the pace, until he could pull up. This may 

 seem ludicrous, but it is no exaggeration, for I have seen 

 him do so myself. He used to wear dark trousers, and 

 a dress-coat of the same hue, the latter unbuttoned, and 

 of course, flying open, gave him a strange appearance in 

 riding so fast. I never knew him partake of any repast 

 at Danebury, not even a glass of sherry or a cup of tea, 

 and doubt very much if he ever entered the house. Im- 

 mediately after seeing the horses, and chatting matters 

 over with my father, he would ride back just as fast as 

 he came. The reason he gave for riding so furiously was 

 that it was, as he said, ' such capital exercise.' 



The story of my father meeting him in the House of 

 Commons has been so often and so erroneously told that 

 it may be well to put it in its true form. My father, 

 wishing to see his lordship, would have gone into the 



