The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-23 00:00:00

Lord Palmerston as a Sportsman.

When we (Bell's Life) come to remember the na-
tural vivacity and thoroughly English tone of the
late Premier's character it would have sounded
strange indeed had ho not evinced some taste for
our national sports. Continually in office from a
very early ago, and, like the famous Vicar of Bray-,
with " whatsoever king might reign," Lord Pal-
merston had never much leisure to devote to rural
recreations, and we consequently hear but little of
him at the cover side, though he was occasionally
out with the New Forest, nor even during the recess
did he do much in the stubble or on the moor. But
he was at heart a horseman, and the few brief hours
or whole holidays he could spare from the service of
his country were pretty certain to be spent either on
horseback or in the contemplation of his stud.
In fact, during the season there was no more inte-
resting sight, particularly to the stranger visitor,
than the Prime Minister, rather late in the afternoon,
putting his horse's head straight down the Row,
and pounding away in a long swinging trot, utterly
heedless of the crowds of idlers and butterflies who
watched his progress. This was the daily " con-
stitutional," and about the most invigorating exer-
cise any man of mature age could command, while
we heard again every now and then of his riding
down to the Derby, or mounting his hack and
going miles before breakfast to see a favourite
gallop. It was here that his passion found some
fitting vent, without occupying too great a share of
his time and attention, and for the last half cen-
tury at least Lord Palmerston had, on and off, been
an owner of race horses, as during the whole of that
period we believe he was never without a few good
brood mares in his possession. So far back as the
year 1813 he ran a filly called Mignionette at Win-
chester, while noticeably enough the last appear-
ance of his colours was over the same course during
the paSt summer, with the three year old Wade, by
King Tom ; as on Wednesday, the very day of his
death, a horse of Mr. Montgomerie's, bearing the
appropriate name of Pain, by Prime Minister, won
the opening race at Kelso. Although Lord Palmer-
ston was fairly blooded during the following season,
when he won a race with Enchantress, it was not
till 1821 that we find him in the list of subscribers
to Weatherby's Calendar, a tolerably good sign
of a man's training on ; and in two or three
years more he had a really useful horse or two
in work about home ; or, as " Nimrod" so
happily put it in the Quarterly Review article
some ten seasons subsequently, "We must con-
sider our noble Secretary for Foreign Affairs only
a humble provincial. To the satisfaction, indeed, of
his competitors, his lordship has now relinquished
even these rural honours, for Luzborough, Greyleg,
and Company were sad teazers to the west-country
platers." Luzborough, however, it is only fair to
say, was something more than a plater, and the
rather a good cup horse, while he also won the
Somersetshiro Stakes, a race of far more repute at
that period than at present. " Old John Day," as
he will be best known to the modern Turfite, was
the jockey, and his father, who lived at Oughton
Down, the trainer ; and they were in truth " sad
teazers" to the west-country folk, for we read of
Lord Palmerston winning three or four events one
after another, and three or four races a day were
then thought to make up a very liberal allowance
of sport. Still, his lordship relinquished even these
" rural honours," but he soon came again, and
in 1836 Toothill and Ashfield made their mark ;
though it was in the year following his marriage
that Lord Palmerston really took rank as a Turfite,
creating, as he did, some amusing sensation with the
most renowned runner he ever possessed. This
was Iliona, by Priam, a cast-off from Lord George
Bentinck's stud, but with which Lord Palmerston,
no longer the humble provincial, won the great
autumn handicap of the year, the Cesarewitch at
Newmarket. Memorable as this victory might be
to the master of Broadlands, it was rendered still
more so by the discussion that ensued. If the
"legs" and other worthies had experienced some
difficulty in arriving at the proper pronunciation of
the name of the stake, the whole world found still
more in giving the name of the winner, and for week
after week a wordy warfare was carried on as to the
claims of the Omega or Omicron. The point was ulti-
mately ref erred, n ot to the Jo ckey Club but to the heads
.r uciahbvuiiu TJai rcraity, -re-hcu a dt.,,lalvJa vvaa
given in favour of the o long, and, of course, " a
deal of money changed hands.'' Lord Palmerston
himself, however much he may hale enjoyed "the
debate," took little or no part in it ; nor do we ever
remember that his great opponent, either in the
Forum or on the Olympic plain, Lord Derby, gave
the weight of his high authority on the occasion.
The nag of any note that carried the green jacket
and orange cap on to victory was Buckthorn, the
winner of another remarkable race, the Ascot Stakes,
still frequently spoken of in Turf annals. Alfred
Day, who rode him, lay so far off and looked at one
time so apparently out of it, that a hundred to one
was offered in vain against Lord Palmerston's horse,
who gradually reached them, however, and, to the
surprise of everybody, won cleverly at last. But
Ascot is a capital course for taking your time over, as
Sam Chifney, Jem Robinson, and many other fine
jockeys as well as Alfred Day have discovered ere
now. Still the Day dynasty was doomed, and his
lordship and the family separated over the fortunes
of the next good horse, Mainstone, who was a strong
favourite for the Derby of his year, and " the co-
incidence" pretty generally anticipated of the Prime
Minister winning the Blue Riband of the Turf ;
but the crack went wrong just before the race, and
we never remember a more forlorn hope to look on
than when Sam Rogers rode him out of the pad-
dock. Lord Palmerston after this disappointment
removed his horses to Henry Goater's, at Littleton,
but he has since had little or nothing worth mention,
a Derby oulttsidmeur,stainidott,htehlsoruingnhe,rboef
beyond Baldwin,
a race or two afterwards.
inferred that his lordship was a heavy better ; on the
contrary, he never stood a stake in his life, but
patronised the pursuit from his innate love of horses
and sport, as no clerk in the House or City appren-
tice ever asked for a holiday on the Derby Day
with more prospective enjoyment than the Premier
of England himself. Still, as " Nimrod" has it, as
a racing man he was more in his element in the
provinces ; and it was not, indeed, until very late
in his career as a sportsman—so far on as the year
1846—that he became a Member of the Jockey
Club.

LORD PALMERSTON AS AN AUTHOR.
(From the Athentunz.)

Pretty early in life Lord Palmerston began to
write, and though he was tco much of a politician
to study the graces of literary expression, his hand
was sharply felt in the " Tory mischief" then going
on. The New Whig Guide, a pleasant battery di-
rected against the Liberal Opposition, was mainly,
we believe, written by Lord Palmerston, Sir R. Peel,
and Mr. Wilson Croker. Lord Palmerston wrote a
sparkling piece of banter under the title of "Report of
the trial of Henry Brougham for calling Mr. Ponsonby
an Old Woman." This squib is very like the Harry
Temple of past years. Brougham is found guilty,
but recommended to mercy on the ground of his
having vilified the Prince Regent. Lord Palmer-
ston also contributed a plan for re-arranging the
Red-book on scientific principles, introducing the
Linmen system into Parliament. Had he cultivated
this tante of drollery he might perhaps have carried
off some of Canning's laurels; but
from society and
office, won too early in life, seduced him
lite-
rature, which never grew to be anything more
from
than a toy to him. Some of hishisspefeocrheeigs,n policy,
and the speech in defence of
and many of his minutes and despatches, have great
merits. The public would be glad tosaererhiagesispa, and
on the Eastern Question, the Spanish
m •
the Crimean War.

CABINET COUNCIL.—At a late hour on Friday
evening Lord Russell issued summonses for a Cabinet
Council, at the Foreign-office, on Thursday afternoon, at
half-past 2 p.m. By that time the whole of the Cabinet
Ministers will be in London.
LORD PALMERSTON'S FUNERAL.—We have reason
to believe that the funeral of the late Lord Pal-
merston will not take place at Romsey. The remains of
the lamented statesman will be convoyed this morning from
Brockett-hall to Cambridge-house, and the funeral, which
we conclude will be a public one in Westminster Abbey,
Will take place in London.—Times.

11.5.0,0*
arts' N.41.6jk.
_ Sir111
vtof 4,

HER MAJESTY.

BALMORAL, Oct. 19•
The Queen, accompanied by their Royal Iligh"
nesses the Princess Helena and Princess LOU,ise
walked and drove in the morning, and in the after-
noon with the Princess Louise and Princess Be"
trice.

Sir George Grey had the honour of dining with
the Queen and royal family.

OCT. 20.

The Queen walked and drove in the morning,
accompanied by her Royal Highness the Princes!
Helena, and again went out in the afternoon On
Princess Helena and Prince Arthur. _

Dr. Robertson had the honour of dining with her
Majesty and the royal family.

Wales. of the Prince and Princess of

-------
The Prince and Princess of Wales, accompaDieda
by Prince Alfred, Prince John of Glucksburg, an
Princess Hilda of Anhalt, arrived at Marlborough
House yesterday forenoon from Scotland.
The suite in attendance consisted of the lien.
Mrs. Grey, Major Grey, and Lieutenant Haig. ,
On Saturday night the Prince and Princess of
Wales quitted Kelso by special train on the North-
Eastern Railway for the metropolis. Their reYal
highnesses were accompanied by Prince Alfred, her
Serene Highness Princess Hilda of Anhalt-Dessau'
his Serene Highness Prince John of Holstein-
Glucksburg, and the ladies and gentlemen of 03°
royal suites. Three state saloons were provided for
the illustrious travellers, and attached to a sPecl3l
train. It was originally intended that the royai
party should travel from Kelso to Newcastle by
special train, and then proceeded by passenger train
to the south, but on arrival at the latter place it
was found so heavy that the plan was abandoned'
Mr. Cockshott, superintendent of the line, aeoLli-
panied the special train conveying their royal high;
nesses, which travelled viii York (where the Gre3,
Northern system commences), and which was lei:
at 4.14 yesterday (Sunday) morning. Peterborough
was made at 7 a.m., Hitchin at 7.53, Hatfield 8.111
and King's-cross at 8.34 a.m., the run from Peter:
borough to the metropolitan terminus of the Great
Northern Railway at King's-cross, a distance of 7
miles, being run in 1 hour 34 minutes.

HER MAJESTY'S RETURN TO WINDSOR.—ACC°rC,I;
ing to the latest arrangements her Majesty,
the royal family, and attended by the Court, will leak
Balmoral on Friday afternoon next, and return to Windsor
Castle. Her Majesty and the royal family will travel froni
the Aboyne Station of the Deesido Railway in several Stat°
saloons attached to a special train, which will be provide
by the London and North-Western Railway, and will 11
under the charge of Mr. Cawkwcll, the general manager °
the line. The royal train, made up of about 13 or 14 nal'
riages, will quit the Aboyne Station at the usual time c 2
the afternoon of Friday, and proceed southwards during
the night to the Bushbury Junction of the Great Weatel
Railway, when the care of the special train will be halide
over to Mr. J. Grierson, the general manager of the Gre_°',
l Western lino. The journey will then bo resumed, 'f'
Oxford and Reading, to Windsor, which will be reaebe"
about a quarter to nine o'clock on Saturday morning;
During the night journey the public will be exclude'
from most of the stations, in order that the Queen maY....11°
main totally undisturbed. The preparations for her xeli
jesty's reception at Windsor Castle, when the Queen 11/
arrive to breakfast, are nearly completed.
The Duke and Duchess of Grafton's partY
Euston Hall, Suffolk, separated on Friday last.
The Duke of Argyll is hourly expected to arriY°
in town from Inverary Castle, his seat in Argyllshire.
The Duchess de Coigny has left the St. Georg"
Hotel. _

-----
The Marquis of Anglesey left town yesterday far
Newmarket.

The Earl of Wilton will leave Heaton Hall, near
Manchester, to-day for Newmarket.

The Earl and Countess of Yarborough have re;
turned to Brocklesby from Filey. Her ladyship has (VI
recovered from her slight indisposition.
Viscount Grey de Wilton arrived in town °_,ll
Saturday from a visit to the Earl and Countess of Coventl.;
at Croome Court, Worcestershire, and to-day leaves f°
Newmarket.

Viscount utungtoti itrrived in town on Saturday
from Ashdown Park, Berks.
The Lord Chancellor will receive the judges and
the leading members of the bar at breakfast on Thursday'
the 2d proximo, being the first day of Michaelmas to
Previously the noble and learned lord will receive the
Mayor elect and the principal civic authorities, when, A 0
,o
customary, the Lord Chancellor will express the Queen
approbation at the choice made by the citizens of Londoll•
The Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer
arrived in town on Saturday from Clumber, Notts.
The Right Hon. W. Hutt, M.P., and Mrs. Wltt
have arrived at the Alexandra Hotel, Hyde-park-corner'
from Gibside, Gateshead.

Rear-Admiral the Hon. James R. and gr°'
Drummond arrived at the gallant admiral's official re"'
deuce at the Admiralty on Friday night from Scotland.

ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA.

The second season of the Royal English Opens'
commenced last evening, and with every prospect
of complete success. The company is as strong
the directors could make it, although the absence °
certain names is still very noticeable. We have n 0
less than five tenors, Mr. Charles Adams being, Ne
presume, the principal; the same number of bari‘
tones and basses, amongst whom are Mr. A. La/12
rence and Mr. H. Corn ; the sopranos numb'
amongst them Miss Louisa Pyne, Madame Sl3er,
rington, and Mdlle. Florence Lancia ; the Or-
traltos being Madame Emma Heywood, who Pll°
duced so favourable an impression in Balfe's ope
"Blanche deNevers," and Miss Leffler. The ballet
also well represented ; in fact, the arrangements 031
engagements are, under certain circumstances, th 6
best that could be effected.
of
The opera chosen for the opening night was,
course, Meyerbeer's "Africiane," which, it will
remembered, on the four occasions it was repre
•
sented during the season of the Royal Italian Opel*
gave promise of great success. In the preseaw
stance the cast was as follows : Selika,
Louisa Pyne ; Ines, Madame Sherringt°ll!
Anna, Mrs. A. Cook ; Nelusko, Mr. Lavireil.re"
Don Pedro, Mr. H. Corri ; Grand Inquisitor, Pti
A. Cook ; Don-Diego, Mr. E. Dussek ; High Priest
of Brahma, Mr. Patey ; Don Alvar, Mr. C. Lyvx.,;
and Vasco de Gama, Mr. C. Adams. It is
needless on the present occasion to enter int-g,
ct
detailed criticism of the opera, because but asAte
time ago its , beauties and its faults formed
subject of remark, and at very considerable letire
For the English version of Scribe's blank verse, IvA
have to thank Mr. C. Kenny, because he has perforl3ol;
his task with taste, skill, and judgment. The pzw-•
Vasco is peculiarly adapted to Mr. Adams' voice;
indeed he has never had a score so completelf,
suited to him, as from beginning to end he Sa"
with faultless accuracy and bell-like clearness. 11:.
Alberto Lawrence added to his well-earned rep
tion by his representation of " Nelusko,"
charming song " Ever my Queen," in the sectle
act, calling forth the loudest applause. Macl3L
Sherrington's Inis and Miss Louise Pyne's
of
may fairly challenge comparison with that t
Mddle. Lucca and Fioretti ; in fact, we doubt 13°
• teo
that many will agree with us that our native art'sl4
on this occasion quite outshone their foreign rival,
The other parts in the opera were well sustaille
and all the choruses were sung with judgment
effect.

tie ll
The scenery and dresses were superb, and, t.-110
altogether, the production of the opera by t
directors, has resulted in immense success.
~0-0•31 c
On Wednesday we are to have Gounod's " ~•••
Doctor," with a ballet, by M. Desplaces, entit'of
of
" Gitta la Ballerine," supported by artiste
acknowledged excellence and an efficient corps

ballet. 0
• pt
During the season we are to have " Masan'o
pi
"Helvellyn," and two new operas, viz., " Ida, itip
Mr. Henry Leslie; " Christmas Eve," by ;.1
Charles Deffell; and Felicia David's sparkling qe
" Lana Rookh."

NIIITHE ABBE LISTZ, says the Musical World, tie
visit London in May next, for the purpose of concblee;
his Mass, composed expressly for the opening of the
church of the Carmelites at Kensington.