THE EIGHTH DUKE OF BEAUFORT 



spared to see the marriage of his eldest son in 1895 

 to Louise Emily, daughter of William Harford, of 

 Old Down, Almondsbury. 



The Duke had always loved children, and they, 

 as their custom is, had returned his affection. 

 When his eldest granddaughter was born, he 

 poured out upon her the affection he had given 

 to his own daughter, of whose birth he speaks 

 so tenderly in his diary. He loved the little 

 granddaughter intensely, and her welfare was his 

 most absorbing thought during the last two years 

 of his life. 



Thus the clouds lifted, and bright sunshine was 

 shed over his closing days by the intense love 

 he bore the child. Could he have been spared 

 to see the birth of the heir to the ancient name, 

 which took place in 1900, it would have rejoiced 

 him. This, however, was not to be, and we may 

 be glad to think that so much of joy was granted 

 him. 



When, in the fulness of time, the eighth Duke 

 of Beaufort passed away, all men felt that a familiar 

 and notable figure of our time had been lost. In 

 his faults and his virtues he was a typical English- 

 man, of a very gallant and lovable type. From the 

 day when he gave up an active part in the manage- 

 ment of the hunt and of the estates, he spent most 

 of his time at Stoke Park. The end was very near 

 at hand, his death taking place in 1899. 



Few men have left a greater blank in English 



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