380 RACING CAREER OF SIR W. H. GREGORY. 



parties assembled there were more renowned for 

 freedom of manners than for feast of reason and 

 flow of soul. Lord Eglinton never drank any wine 

 except champagne, which he consumed in abund- 

 ance ah oi'O usque ad mala — that is to say, from 

 the beofinning: of the first course at dinner until 

 the end of dessert. I remember to have been 

 present at dinner one evening at the Jockey Club 

 Rooms at Newmarket, and to have heard Lord 

 Eoflinton declare that he could drink more cham- 

 pagne without inconvenience than any other man 

 in the United Kingdom. General Peel, always 

 full of fun and ready for every kind of frolic, 

 avowed that he knew a novice whom he would 

 produce next day at dinner, and would back for a 

 pony to drink more champagne than the Scotch 

 Earl, if the latter would accept the challenge. 

 Nothing loath. Lord Eglinton took up the glove, 

 and next day at 7.30 p.m. in walked General Peel, 

 accompanied by a tall, thin, wiry, long-legged 

 customer, who looked for all the world like a 

 pair of elongated tongs. ' Let me introduce you 

 to my brother-in-law. Sir David Baird,' exclaimed 

 the General. Most of the guests, w^ho were about 

 to dine, did not know Sir David by sight ; others 

 had heard of his feats across country, and some 

 two or three were aware of his prowess at the 

 dinner-table. Few, however, anticipated that the 

 owner of the invincible Dutchman would have to 

 lower his colours that nio^ht to his brother Scot. 



