ITbe Earl of Stamforfc 605 



Perhaps the best horse he ever owned was Diophantns, 

 and he was shamefully robbed over that horse by those 

 who induced him to back his stable companion Imaus 

 heavily, when they knew that the latter stood no chance 

 against Diophantus. It was not surprising that after 

 this Lord Stamford's faith in the honour and honesty of 

 racing-men was severely shaken ; in fact, he trusted no 

 one, but from that time forward was haunted by a 

 suspicion that everyone wanted to "do" him. It was 

 this suspicious craze which brought about his rupture 

 with Joseph Dawson after Limosina's defeat in the 

 Cambridgeshire and Cesarewitch, and at a later date 

 caused unpleasantness between him and John Porter, as 

 honest a man as there is in England, over Geheimniss 

 when, after her brilliant victory in the Oaks, she failed to 

 win the St. Leger. 



In the hunting-field Lord Stamford was more fortu- 

 nate than on the Turf. On the lamented death of 

 Sir Richard Sutton, Mr. John Storey, a well-known 

 Leicestershire sportsman, was deputed to offer the 

 Mastership of the Quorn to Lord Stamford, who was 

 then hunting the Albrighton country. " My lord, 

 Mr. Storey, when he met Lord Stamford, " I come with 

 full powers to offer you the first hunting country in 

 the world. Leicestershire wants a Master, and it is 

 determined, with your permission, to have Lord Stam- 

 ford." His lordship hesitated a moment. At last he 

 said : " But I can't cast off the Albrighton like an old 

 shoe, though I should like above all things to accept." 

 Mr. Storey, however, was a born diplomatist. He 

 overcame all his lordship's objections, and came 



