CHAPTER XX. 



THE DUKE OF CLEVELAND. 



Eccentricity of manner — Chorister's St. Leger ; a reminiscence of 

 'the old Dnke' — The late Duke— Better known as Lord William 

 Powlett — Shrewdness in a bargain — Bad luck in racing — 

 Some of my ' deals ' with him — I sell him Cedric — A long- 

 bargain, but a huge relief — Points left open, and their settle- 

 ment — Sale to him of Promised Land, and purchase of Dulcibrtla 

 — An intricate negotiation ; satisfactorily brought off — In- 

 surance money — Sam Eogers on the transaction — Absurd 

 charge of collusion — How Sam made a mistake — I claim and 

 keep Romulus — His chances spoiled — A young man's gratitude. 



It may be remembered that in the account given of 

 ' The Danebury Confederacy ' a description was intro- 

 duced of the scene at the betting-rooms at Doncaster 

 in Margrave's year (1832), for which I was indebted 

 to the graphic pen of ' Sylvanus.' Chief amongst the 

 characters then present was the old Duke of Cleveland, 

 who was credited with partly pulling the wires on the 

 occasion when Richardson and the Bonds were 

 ' tabled.' We are told that ' his white sardonic coun- 

 tenance ' added much to ' a picture worthy the pencil 

 of Rembrandt.' The old Duke was undoubtedly a 



