8 4 LORD GEORGE BENTINCK. 



many races, but none were first-class, and nothing 

 like so good as their sire, though many closely re- 

 sembled him in shape and lightness under the knee. 



On the other hand, his really good stud-horse, 

 Venison, was let by his lordship to Mr. Sadler for 

 three years at £300 a year, with the option of pur- 

 chase for £1,500 at the expiration of the time. In 

 connection with the lease of this stallion I have to 

 give the first instance of his lordship's peculiar 

 notions of dealing with others. Seeing how blood- 

 like was the stock which Venison got, his lord- 

 ship wanted to have him back again, and adopted the 

 following ingenious method to Q-ain his end. Calling; 

 on Mr. Sadler in one of his most affable moods, he 

 said : 



' By the way, I have a foreigner who wishes to buy 

 Venison, of whom I can get a fair price ; and as I don't 

 suppose you would like to keep him, I shall esteem it 

 a favour if you will let me have him.' 



But genial as was the request, Mr. Sadler naturally 

 did not see the force of it. It was at the time sup- 

 posed, and most probably rightly, that his lordship 

 wanted him for himself. Very shortly after the failure 

 of this attempt to recover him, Venison passed into 

 the hands of my father and his son-in-law, Mr. George 

 Dixon, whose joint property he remained until his 

 death from fever of the feet, at Broughton, near 

 Stockbridge. 



In fact, had not Lord George bought as well as 



