22 EARLY YEARS. 



passed away, followed by the blessings and grate- 

 ful thanks of all who knew her) provided him with 

 all the comforts and necessaries that he required, 

 and showed the greatest sympathy with my wife and 

 me. On my son's decease in December 1887, at 

 the age of twenty-four years, her Ladyship caused 

 a beautiful gravestone to be erected to his memory, 

 bearing the following words at the end of the 

 inscription : " This stone was erected by Vis- 

 countess Ossington, in consideration of services 

 faithfully rendered to her father, his Grace the 

 fourth Duke of Portland, and to her brother, 

 the Kight Honourable Lord George Cavendish 

 Bentinck, M.P." 



Nor should I omit to mention that the spirit of 

 kindness, sympathy, and generosity which has 

 always distinguished this noble house, has de- 

 scended in full measure to the sixth Duke of 

 Portland, who is now the head of this ancient 

 and illustrious family. From his Grace, and from 

 the Duchess, I have received so many favours and 

 such unbounded kindness, not only in my own 

 home but also at Welbeck Abbey, that I dare not 

 trust myself to attempt to enumerate them here. 

 I am persuaded from my own exj)erience that 

 their Graces have hearts as kind and warm as that 

 which induced the fourth Duke of Portland to make 

 provision for the poor tramps who shambled along 

 the road in front of one of the lodofes on the edo'e 



