in danger of losing all he
has, and is not obliged to grasp at every chance, _make a book_
on the Derby. While the fever it excites is raging, and the odds
are varying, I can neither read, nor write, nor occupy myself
with anything else. I went to the Oaks on Wednesday, where Lord
Stanley kept house for the first, and probably (as the house is
for sale) for the last time. It is a very agreeable place, with
an odd sort of house built at different times and by different
people; but the outside is covered with ivy and creepers, which
is pretty, and there are two good living-rooms in it. Besides
this, there is an abundance of grass and shade; it has been for
thirty or forty years the resort of all our old jockeys, and is
now occupied by the sporting portion of the Government. We had
Lord Grey and his daughter, Duke and Duchess of Richmond, Lord
and Lady Errol, Althorp, Graham, Uxbridge, Charles Grey, Duke of
Grafton, Lichfield, and Stanley's brothers. It passed off very
well--racing all the morning, an excellent dinner, and whist and
blind hookey in the evening. It was curious to see Stanley. Who
would believe they beheld the orator and statesman, only second,
if second, to Peel in the House of Commons, and on whom the
destiny of the country perhaps depends? There he was, as if he
had no thoughts but for the turf, full of the horses, interest in
the lottery, eager, blunt, noisy, good-humoured, 'has meditans
nugas et _totus in illis_;' at night equally devoted to the play,
as if his fortune depended on it. Thus can a man relax whose
existence is devoted to great objects and serious thoughts. I had
considerable hopes of winning the Derby, but was beaten easily,
my horse not being good. An odd circumstance occurred to me
before the race. Payne told me in strict confidence that a man
who could not appear on account of his debts, and who had been,
much connected with turf robberies, came to him, and entreated
him to take the odds for him to L1,000 about a horse for the
Derby, and deposited a note in his hand for the purpose. He told
him half the horses were made safe, and that it was arranged this
one was to win. After much delay, and having got his promise to
lay out the money, he told him it was my horse. He did back the
horse for the man for L700, but the same person told him if my
horse _could_ not win Dangerous would, and he backed the latter
likewise for L100, by which his friend was saved, and won L800.
He did not tell