DUKE OF BEAUFORT. 249 



ley ; and I believe I may boast of being 

 the first who put reins into the hand of the 

 late Duke of Beaufort, then Marquis of 

 Worcester, who soon became a proficient in 

 the art. The other family had a seat at 

 Cranford Bridge, about four miles beyond 

 Hounslow, long the residence of the late 

 Countess; and as the sons counted six or 

 seven in number, I frequently had the 

 honour of the company of one or other of 

 them on the box. 



I always found them free and affable, as 

 I ever did most others of true Nobility, 

 with whom I often came in contact. 



On one occasion, I remember, when one 

 of the junior members of the family, who 

 has since rendered himself conspicuous in 

 their unhappy division, accompanied me 

 on the box, and we had spent the morning 

 in agreeable conversation, I happened 

 to say that I had never seen a certain 

 celebrated actress off the stage, but that I 



