25vS 'OLD Q' 



founts of public information were running over with 

 news of his grace's property changing hands. 



The instance referred to is the Duke's library, which 

 he left E. B. Douglas, Esq. The condition in which that 

 gentleman found the books proves his grace's love of 

 books was scarcely binding deep ; for hardly one set of 

 volumes was perfect. Some familiar friends had either 

 purloined or borrowed copies, which never found 

 their way back to their owner's shelves. 



On April 4th, 1811, the late Duke of Queensberry's 

 plate, etc., was sold. This gave opportunity for many 

 who desired a memento of that singular personage to 

 acquire one ; therefore competition was the order of 

 the day. So eager were persons to secure anything, 

 that old family plate, out of fashion, massive and fit 

 only for the melting-pot, fetched eight shillings an 

 ounce, while everything else brought far more than 

 its value, and this in a time when money was very 

 scarce, not only with the middle but upper classes. 

 On the 22nd the executors thought the public interest 

 so keen that they, with true mercantile spirit, had 

 another sale. This time the bait offered to those athirst 

 for Queensberry 'ware' was Queensberry's wine. The 

 result shows what it is to be thought a connoisseur : 

 thus. Noyau his grace liad purchased from the ' manu- 

 facturer,' in London, at six guineas a dozen, found 



