260 MEMORIES OF MEN AND HORSES 



The Sportsman, but the foundation of his fortune was 

 when he secured The Sporting Times for ^50. This 

 was a splendid investment, thanks to his own ability in 

 getting together a brilliant staff of Bohemians whose 

 names will long be remembered. The paper became a 

 really wonderful success, and though it went down for a 

 while after Corlett disposed of it some years ago, it is 

 again going strong now. 



It would be quite possible to fill a book with memories 

 of John Corlett and his staff. He was a great politician 

 of the old Tory school, and had fortune ever led him 

 into Parliament he would have made considerable stir. 

 The motto of his paper advocated old Port, but I think 

 that he really preferred old Burgundy. He certainly 

 was a valiant trencher-man, and in this connection I 

 remember him coming into the coffee-room of the 

 Rutland Arms about 1 1 P.M. a good many years ago. He 

 had been dining well with old Tom Jennings, but espied 

 a large dish of walnuts on one of the tables from which 

 a well-known but somewhat reserved sportsman was just 

 about to retire to bed. This gentleman had a great 

 fancy for walnuts, and had brought a sufficient supply of 

 a special kind to last him all the week. 



John Corlett caught sight of the dish and jumped 

 to the conclusion that it was provided by the hotel. 

 " Aha ! " he cried. " Walnuts, by Jove ! " and he instantly 

 ordered a bottle of vintage Port ; then sat down to the 

 walnuts and did not get up again until he had finished 

 the whole lot, under the pained gaze of their owner, who 

 did not like to let him know his mistake. The Port 

 also was finished, and then the good man went off 

 cheerfully to bed. Nay, more, he was up in time for 

 the first train in the morning, as fresh as a lark. 



