THE QUEENSBERRY WIXE 259 



an eager purchaser at £16, 4s. — a transaction which 

 would have greatly delighted the Duke in his lifetime. 

 The cellar was scarcely so well furnished as was an- 

 ticipated ; this was due, no doubt, to the infirmities of 

 his grace having prevented his hitherto lavish dinners 

 and entertainments. However, Mr. Christie offered 

 for competition twelve lots of ' veritable ' Tokay, which 

 the auctioneer in his harangue said ' had cost the 

 Duke three guineas a bottle fifty years previous.' The 

 precious Hquor was then offered in lots of one dozen 

 at fifty guineas ; this was quickly run up to ninety- 

 six, at which sum the first dozen was laaocked down. 

 The next lot had also reached that figure, when two 

 gentlemen who had been bidding came forward and 

 agreed to take the remainder at the same price, as 

 they had no opponents. It was afterwards found that 

 one of these gentlemen represented the Prince of 

 Wales,^ the other a Mr. S , ' a patrician cabinet- 

 maker of the City,' who wisely let H.K.H, have eight 

 lots (dozens), being content with four. 



Other wines were offered of no particular merit, 

 except ' his grace's selection ' ; these one and all sold 

 for immense prices. The sale terminated with the offer 

 of a couple of dozens of liqueur, which no one knew, 



^ Another report states that some of this wine was purchased by 

 the then Marquis of Blandford, but whether from H.R.H. or 

 Mr. S , I cannot say. 



