Country houses—Letter from Lord Beaconsfield—Political influence of
landowners—Guests down with the
fish—Longleat—Hinchingbrooke—Goodwood—Old-time country
visitors—Colonel Nelthorpe and “Wulliam”—the Norfolk Militia in the
’fifties—My father and Casanova—A good-natured giant—Old Lady
Suffield—Lord George Bentinck—Admiral Rous—George Payne and Lord
Alexander Lennox—Religion of the former—The Duchess of Cleveland
and Battle Abbey—Anecdotes—Duke William of Normandy 41