1 10 The Post and the Paddock. 



day's races, to meet him at the Swinley Mile-post, 

 and let him see Lord Darlington's Memnon, who was 

 to take a gentle canter at four o'clock, previous to 

 running for the Cup next day. When all the com- 

 pany had gone, His Majesty drove up to the tryst, 

 with the Marquis of Conyngham in the pony phaeton 

 by his side, and his factotum, Jack Ratford, on an 

 Irish mare behind. Jack reigned supreme in the 

 Royal household to the last, and many got an audi- 

 ence through his agency, who otherwise might have 

 waited in vain. He had been a lad in Dick Goodisson's 

 stables, and was thence promoted to be pad-groom to 

 " Old Q," who insisted to the last that he should lead 

 the horses about daily from twelve to three, in front 

 of his house in Piccadilly, that he might still have the 

 pleasure of fancying that he was going to take a ride. 

 He knew all the Duke's ways, and the latter repaid 

 his care by leaving him his coach-horses and several 

 of the things in his London house, besides recom- 

 mending him to the King, who kept him a cab, while 

 he was in his service. 



His royal master had well kept his 1791 vow, that 

 he would visit Newmarket Heath no more, and from 

 that time to the day of his death, he only once viewed 

 its white ghost-like posts and venerable rubbing- 

 houses, as he swept along the London road, after 

 sleeping all night at the Palace, in Mr. Douglas's time, 

 on his return from a visit at Holkham. It was there- 

 fore with great difficulty that Mr. Delme Radcliffe 

 now got him to train his horses there, on representing 

 to him that they got bruised at Ascot ; but Jack had 

 seconded the proposition with no little earnestness, as 

 his heart yearned to bear his part in some Newmarket 

 visits. Still, although the King chose to forget .his 

 gracious answer to the Jockey Club address at 

 Brighton, in which they begged him to return to the 

 haunts of his youth, and " earnestly entreated that the 

 affair might be buried in oblivion," he felt an immense 



