The Earl of Winchilsea 



Probably the smartest thing "John Davis" ever did was 

 in connection with a well-known mare called *' Iliona," the 

 proper pronunciation of whose name, amongst layers and 

 backers alike, was the subject of much controversy at the 

 time, opinion being generally divided, as to whether the second 

 syllable should be long or short. With a view to a solution 

 of the mystery, and at the same time turning his knowledge 

 to account, at the close of the day at one of the Newmarket 

 meetings. Lord Winchilsea posted off to Cambridge, and 

 sought counsel of the greatest authority on Greek to be 

 found at the University, with the result that he discovered 

 that the true pronunciation of the name was Iliona (Illy-o- 

 nay). Armed with this knowledge, he returned to Newmarket, 

 and, it is said, backed his opinion very freely the next day with 

 considerable profit to himself. A noted " gourmet," he was said 

 to be the best judge of mutton in England, and could tell you 

 the age to a day of the sheep from which the haunch set before 

 him had been cut, the moment he tasted it ; whilst as for his 

 appetite — well, we don't think we ever saw one to equal it. 



His son, the late Lord Maidstone, dining one night at 

 that famous old tavern, the Blue Posts, in Cork Street, 

 made inquiry of ** Henry," the waiter, whether his progenitor 

 had been there lately. " Dined here only last night, my lord," 

 was the reply. " A dozen hoysters, 'are soup, a rump steak, 

 a snipe, and a marrer bone to foller — a bottle o' * Perry 

 Jewey' (Perrier Jouet), an' a pint o' stout." 



** Good Gawd, 'Enery ! " says my lord. " Why, my father'll 

 live for ever ! " 



Lord Winchilsea — not forgetting his cigar — was a regular 

 attendant at the Newmarket meetings up to the time of his 

 death, which occurred at an advanced age in the early eighties 

 of the past century. 



65 F 



