CONCLUSION. 469 



with this considerate act of kindness, her Grace 

 was likewise good enough to provide me with a 

 second portrait of the Duke, which is also given 

 here. 



It is often my habit to read at night during the 

 long hours of sleeplessness which it is occasion- 

 ally my lot to endure. Among the books which 

 have lately passed through my hands was in- 

 cluded Northcote's ' Life of Sir Joshua Reynolds/ 

 in which it is stated that the last lecture to the 

 students of the Royal Academy ever delivered 

 by that great painter ended with the words 

 "Michael Angelo," the name of the most con- 

 summate artist that, in Sir Joshua's opinion, the 

 world had ever seen. In my poor judgment, the 

 noble hero of this imperfect biography w r as the 

 greatest and most epoch-making patron of the 

 Turf that I have known in my time. Following 

 at an infinite distance the loving and appreciative 

 example set by Sir Joshua Reynolds, I will now 

 conclude by gratefully associating the honoured 

 name of Lord George Cavendish Bentinck with 

 those of his equally generous and large-hearted 

 relatives, the sixth Duke and Duchess of Port- 

 land. 



