GEORGE IV. Ill 



himself, bore the temporary blasting of his riding 

 hopes with such manly fortitude. The Prince was 

 also endeared to him for his long and consistent 

 kindness ; and, in truth, none but those who knew 

 that royal sportsman intimately, could at all com- 

 prehend the fascination which he exercised upon all 

 who came in contact with him. No man knew bet- 

 ter, and was more careful not to overstep the narrow 

 line of demarcation between condescension and fa- 

 miliarity ; and hence none, save and excepting the 

 incorrigible dealer, Mat Milton, when he coolly pro- 

 posed to him (i the royal treat" on horse-back, dared 

 to take a liberty with him,* however great an opening 

 there might seem to be. Even amid the socialities 

 of the Beef-steak Club, which was enlarged from its 

 chartered 24 to 25 for his sake, he was still " the 

 first gentleman in Europe." With Chifney he was 

 peculiarly gracious, and he would often walk for 

 hours with him on the Steyne, at Brighton, or beckon 

 to him to come and sit by his side in his carriage. 

 Music was nearly as much his Dagon as a thorough- 

 bred. He hung with delight over Wilberforce, who 

 was in his earlier days the life and soul of York 

 Races, and whose voice was as sweet and powerful to 

 his own piano accompaniment, as when it had been 

 heard and cheered to the cost of the Coalition Min- 

 istry, by assembled thousands of Yorkshiremen, from 

 a platform-table in their Castle-yard ; and no one 

 regretted so deeply that he should have silenced his 

 songs, for conscience sake. His German band is 

 said to have cost him 7,000 a-year ; and he used to 

 walk round and round them when they played in 

 private, and at times would take half a book with 

 the leader, and join lustily in one of Handel's cho- 

 russes. The late Sir Henry Bishop once came to 



* Beau Brummell always denied, with the utmost indignation,, the 

 story of " Wales, ring the bell." 



