AT LARGE 9 



pleasure of meeting a friend who is rector of a 

 Surrey parish — a hardworking clergyman, who, 

 when he can spare the time, delights in a day's 

 racing. 



A few years ago a dignitary of the Church, the 

 then holder of a great historical office, who was a 

 friend of my mother, did me the honour of saying 

 he would like to make my acquaintance. I asked 

 him to luncheon at one of my clubs ; and as I was 

 waiting for him wondered not a little what we 

 should talk about. Several ecclesiastical questions 

 were prominent, but I was rather fearful that if we 

 discussed them I might say something indiscreet. 

 However, we sat down, and my guest opened the 

 conversation. " What a good thing that Nursery 

 at Derby was for Lourdes yesterday ! " he began ; 

 " I felt certain the horse could not be beaten as 

 soon as I glanced down the weights." My digni- 

 tary was an inhabitant of the racing world, and a 

 very keen one ! 



The Bar — many exceedingly notable members 

 must certainly be included. I think that, when 

 writing about the late Lord Chief Justice, I have 

 before now stated that he told me one year he had 

 seventeen bets on the Cesarewitch, and lost every 

 one of them ! One Derby Day he was about to 

 sit down to lunch in the Club Stand at Epsom, 



