250 'OLD q' 



Some good traits exist in all, whether saints or 

 sinners; it is therefore with pleasure I record that 

 Qiieensberry was a good master. He never dis- 

 charged, nor permitted to be discharged, any servant at 

 his various estabhshments without positive acquaint- 

 ance with his or her shortcomings, nor were these 

 judged too severely till after reprimand had been 

 found useless. 



Allusion to the late Duke's household warrants 

 a reference to his having retained the then almost, 

 but now quite, extinct ' running footman ' — now only 

 to be seen on public-house signs. The incident I am 

 about to relate has often been told, but if I omitted 

 it from these pages I might be thought to have 

 overlooked one of the commonest ' stories ' of the 

 Duke, much after the manner of the star-gazing 

 philosopher, who, seeking galaxies, forgets the 

 common objects under his feet. The ' running foot- 

 man ' was an institution long, long before ' Comet ' 

 coaches had displaced the more ponderous stagers. 

 In 1730 they were generally employed, and many 

 records exist of their exploits and endurance. The 

 term was significant of their function — running with 

 messages or letters to or from their master's town or 

 country residences. When the man was running, 

 the clothes worn, if so singular an attire can be 



