SPORTSMEN OF BENCH AND BAR 345 



let him know in pretty strong language what he thought 

 of him. On one occasion, after he had become deaf, he 

 was trying a racing case that he revelled in. One of the 

 counsel was named Stammers, a solemn, sententious person, 

 who seldom made a speech without quoting passages from 

 Scripture. In addressing the jury, he had got as far as 

 " the prophet says," when the judge interposed. 



"Don't trouble the jury, Mr Stammers, about the 

 prophets ; there is not one of them who would not sell his 

 father for sixpennyworth of half-pence." 



" But, my lord," said Stammers in a subdued tone, " I 

 was about to quote the prophet Jeremiah." 



" Don't tell me, " said the Baron ; " I have no doubt your 

 friend Mr Myers is just as bad as the rest of them." 



Like Mr Justice Hawkins, Baron Martin was made an 

 honorary member of the Jockey Club — a compliment which 

 he highly appreciated. On the Bench the reputation of 

 the two was similar. Both were strong judges. Martin 

 had a bluff, blunt manner without the caustic humour of 

 Hawkins ; but he was, perhaps, even a greater favourite 

 with the Bar and the public. 



With the three notable exceptions I have named, the 

 Bench has been singularly lacking in sportsmen. Baron 

 Alderson, indeed, has been credited with horsy tastes on 

 the strength of a visit to John Scott's famous training 

 establishment at Whitewall. But he had no real sympathy 

 with the Turf. Lord Eldon, too, tried to pass as a sports- 

 man ; but his attempts were futile and ignominious. 



Eldon (the " Jock " Scott of that romantic runaway match 

 with Bessie Surtees) was a bad rider and a worse whip. 

 Even William Henry Scott, that pattern of a dutiful son, 

 used to laugh at the Chancellor's ignorance of horse-flesh. 

 Lord Campbell tells the following story of Eldon and his 

 favourite boy. They were walking together in Piccadilly 

 when a gentleman, driving past them in a cabriolet (with 

 a tiger behind), took off his hat and made a low bow. 

 " Who is that," said Lord Eldon, " who treats me with 

 respect now that I am nobody ? " " Why, sir," said William 

 Henry, " that is Sir John Campbell, the Whig Solicitor- 

 General." " I wonder what they would have said of me," 



