1773 THE DUKES 33 



called Marie Antoine ran in the name of the ' in- 

 famous Duchess ' herself in 1772 and 1773 at New- 

 market Spring Meetings. Scaramouch (by Snap), 

 purchased at the sale of the Duke's stud in July 1774 

 at Newmarket by the astute Mr. Dennis 'Kelly, and 

 Cronie (by Careless), were among the notabilities 

 bred by the Duke. He was one of the subscribers to 

 the Jockey Club Challenge Cup in 1768. 



The Duke of Marlborough of our list is the 

 fourth holder of the ducal title (the second having 

 been a Duchess, Henrietta), who was born in 1739, 

 succeeded 1758, died 1817. He ran his colt Pero (by 

 Janus) for a Jockey Club Plate in 1763, but he cannot 

 be regarded as one of the great lights of the Turf, nor 

 did he ever win — or, for all that can be discovered, 

 try to win — a Derby or an Oaks, though he lived well 

 into the time of them. His descendant, Lord Pian- 

 dolph Churchill, bids fair to make up for ancestral 

 indifference. 



The Duke of Northumberland was originally Sir 

 Hugh Smithson, who was created Earl of Northumber- 

 land on the death of his father-in-law, Algernon, Duke 

 of Somerset, son of the sixth or ' proud ' Duke (son- 

 in-law, having married Lady Elizabeth Percy, of 

 Jocelyn, last 'Percy' Earl of Northumberland). Sir 

 Hugh married Lady Elizabeth Seymour, Algernon 

 Duke of Somerset's daughter ; and he and his mar- 

 riage are sneered at by Horace Walpole, who writes 

 about ' the blood of the Seymours and Percies ' 



D 



