r Cambridge revived in Lord John with the
conclusion of his Edinburgh course. His wishes were, however, overruled
by his father, who, as already hinted, held extremely unfavourable views
in regard to the characteristics at that period of undergraduate life
in the English universities. The 'sciences of horse-racing, fox-hunting,
and giving extravagant entertainments' the Duke regarded as the 'chief
studies of our youths at Cambridge,' and he made no secret of his
opinion that his promising son was better without them. Lord John's
father is described by those who knew him as a plain, unpretending man,
who talked well in private life, but was reserved in society. He was a
great patron of the fine arts, and one of the best farmers in England,
and was, moreover, able to hold his own in the debates of the House of
Lords.

[Sidenote: THE FIELD OF SALAMANCA]

Meanwhile, at Woburn, Lord John's military ardour, which at this time
was great, found an outlet in the command of a company of the
Bedfordshire Militia. But the life of a country gentleman, even when it
was varied by military drill, was not to the taste of this roving young
Englishman. The passion for foreign travel, which he never afterwards
wholly lost, asserted itself, and led him to cast about for congenial
companions to accompany him abroad. Mr. George Bridgeman, afterwards
Earl of Bradford, and Mr. Robert Clive, the second son of Earl Powis,
agreed to accompany him, and with light hearts the three friends started
in August 1812, with the intention of travelling through Sicily, Greece,
Egypt, and Syria. They had not proceeded far, however, on their way to
Southern Italy when tidings reached them that the battle of Salamanca
had been fought and that Wellington had entered Madrid. The plans for
exploring Sicily, Egypt, and Syria were instantly thrown to the winds,
and the young enthusiasts at once bent their steps to the Spanish
capital, in order to take part in the rejoicings of the populace at the
victory of the Allies. They made the best of their way to Oporto, but
were chagrined to find on arriving there that although Salamanca had
been added to the list of Wellington's triumphs, the victor had not
pushed on to the capital. Under these circumstances, Lord John and his
companions determined to make a short tour in the northern part of
Portugal before proceeding to Wellington's head-quarters at Burgos. They
met with a few mild adventures on the road, and afterwa