128 GOODWOOD RACES. 



partook of breakfast and luncheon at my father's 

 house after walking about the downs, and breath- 

 ing their elastic and invigorating air, without feel- 

 ing conscious that his mind and body were at their 

 very best. He repeatedly avowed that he never 

 enjoyed food so much as the simple viands put 

 before him on my father's table, and expressed a 

 wish to know where they were obtained, so that 

 he might procure some of the same sort and send 

 them to Welbeck Abbey. Even the common fruits 

 and vegetables at Goodwood he thought superior 

 to those he tasted elsewhere. He was hardly aware 

 for how much health and enjoyment he was in- 

 debted to the fine air he was breathing, to the 

 simple life he was leading, and the entire absorp- 

 tion of his faculties in a pursuit to which he was 

 passionately devoted. 



Had it not been that the fifth Duke of .Rich- 

 mond and every member of his family appreciated 

 the enjoyment taken by Lord George in Good- 

 wood and in his race-horses, he would hardly have 

 been permitted by the Duke to keep such an 

 enormous number of horses in training, necessitat- 

 ing the constant employment of a corresponding 

 number of boys and stablemen. It must not be 

 forgotten that the racing stables are close to 

 Goodwood House, and that any lack of order or 

 discipline among the stable-boys might, and pro- 

 bably would, have been extremely disagreeable 

 to the members of the family. My father fre- 



