John Patrick, Third Marquess of Bute, K.T. (1847-1900), a MemoirHunter Blair, David Oswald, Sir
Religion
John Patrick, Third Marquess of Bute, K.T. (1847-1900), a Memoir
Hunter Blair, David Oswald, Sir
Bute, John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, Marquess of, 1847-1900
would not be persuaded to frequent their clubs or share in their
amusements, which to him would have been no amusements at all; although
he was elected a member of "Loders," to which the noblemen and
gentlemen-commoners of the House as a matter of course belonged. He
was, however, induced, on the representations of one of his friends
(probably Hay Gordon) to own and nominate a horse in the university
steeplechases (or "grinds," as they were called). "Some one, I do not
know who," writes one of his contemporaries, "had informed him that I
was the proper person to ride his horse. When I interviewed him on the
subject (which I did with some trepidation, as he was exceedingly shy
and stiff with strangers), he evinced not the slightest interest either
in his horse or the contest in which it was to take part. The animal
came in only third, but Bute showed neither disappointment nor pleasure
in anything it did or failed to do either on this or on subsequent
occasions." Another anecdote in connection with this episode of
"Bute's steeplechaser" is related by one of his fellow-undergraduates,
who was charged, or had charged himself, with the duty of informing the
owner of this unprofitable horse (for which, by the way, he had paid a
good round sum) that it was among the "Also Rans" in the Christ Church
{30} grinds. "Ah! indeed?" was his only comment; "but now I want to
know," he continued eagerly, "if you can help me to solve a much more
important question. What real claim had the [Greek: kremastoí kêpoi]
(the hanging gardens) of Semiramis at Babylon, to be classified, as
they were in ancient times, among the Seven Wonders of the World?"
Whilst on the subject of Bute's diversions at Christ Church (though
steeplechasing, even vicariously, can hardly be said to have been one
of them), reference may appropriately be made to a rather remarkable
entertainment which he gave by way of repaying the hospitalities
extended to him by his companions, including some of his former
school-fellows at Harrow. It took the form of a fancy-dress ball,
which came off in the fine suite of rooms which he occupied in the
north-west corner of Tom Quad (since subdivided). Here is the
invitation card, surmounted with the emblazoned arms of the House,
which was sent out:
MARQUESS OF BUTE
AT HOME
La Morgue Bal Masqué
IV. I. Tom. R.S.V.P.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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