HIS CONFIDENCE. 331 



the entire fund subscribed for the election did not 

 exceed £8000, and of this King Hudson subscribed 

 £6000." 



When it is remembered that Lord George's 

 own expenditure upon political and parliamentary 

 objects was as unstinted as it had formerly been 

 upon horse-racing, I can well understand his dis- 

 appointment upon finding that others were not so 

 ready as he was to pay in purse and person. Mr 

 Disraeli, who speaks of Lord George Bentinck as 

 " the most generous of men," was well aware how 

 much money he spent upon politics, although he 

 never permitted Mr Disraeli nor anybody else to 

 allude to it. This trait it was, I imagine, which 

 made Mr Disraeli term him " the proudest of men." 

 So far as I was myself concerned. Lord George 

 never showed any pride or hauteur in dealing with 

 my father or me. Where he gave his confidence, 

 he was not only condescending but confiding ; and 

 I was often astonished at the unreserved freedom 

 with which he used to speak to me about matters 

 with which I had no concern. Lord George 

 was a Mason, and in one essential qualification, 

 reticence, was well fitted to belong to a secret 

 society. I never heard, however, that he took 

 any step to make himself a distinguished member 

 of the craft. 



