1773 THE DUKES 21 



rival of 'Wilkes and Liberty '), and by the scandal he 

 caused when he had to pay 10,000/. damages for 

 disturbing the conjugal affairs of the Earl and 

 Countess of Grosvenor, though the Earl (another 

 member of the Jockey Club) could not obtain a divorce 

 for the reason — so characteristic of the age — that he 

 had done unto others, or at any rate unto one other, 

 as the Royal Duke had done unto him. This Duke 

 and his brother, the Duke of Gloucester (who married 

 the Dowager- Countess of Waldegrave, Horace Wal- 

 pole's niece Maria), were responsible for the Eoyal 

 Marriage Act. This Duke of Cumberland succeeded 

 his uncle, * the Butcher,' as Banger of Windsor Great 

 Park, and as patron of Ascot races, as well as of 

 horse-racing in general, until his star began to pale 

 before that of the young Prince of Wales (afterwards 

 George IV.). The Duke lived well into 'Derby' 

 times, of course, and ran candidates for the Derby in 

 1780-1-2-4, and for the Oaks in 1780-1-2-3-4. He 

 owned and bred a great many good horses, though, 

 when his stud was sold, December 10, 1792, there 

 was in it no yearling comparable to his uncle's 

 Eclipse, purchased by the astute meat-salesman, Mr. 

 Wildman, for a mere song. This Duke seems to have 

 stood name-father to the Cumberland Stakes for two- 

 year-olds (1782), whereof the conditions tend to show 

 that the Jockey Club, or some of its members, were 

 already suspicious of the immediate ' Arab ' strain, 

 and were convinced that the beneficial influence which 



