Lord Yarmouth, that is Francis Charles Seymour-Ingram, 3rd Marquis of Hertford, was »a wastrel who would do anything to acquire money.«[1] In true Dandy tradition he married a great heiress, Maria Fagniani, the illegitimate daughter of Old Q, the 4th Duke of Queensbury. Lord Yarmouth was one of the close friends of George IV. and is said to be the original of the Marquis of Steyne in William Makepeace Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. Napoleon Bonaparte in his Memoires calls him »one of the most distinguished amongst the English« [2]. His rubicund whiskers, hair, and face brought him the name of “Red-herrings.”

Lady Blessington writes about Lord Yarmouth:

»Lord Yarmouth, who is as amusing and original as ever […] has great natural talent and knowledge of the world, but uses both to little purpose, save to laugh at its slaves. He might be any thing he chose, but he is too indolent for exertion, and seems to think le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle. He is one of the many clever people spoilt by being born to a great fortune and high rank, advantages which exclude the necessity of exercising the talents he possesses.
It is, however, no trifling merit, that born to immense wealth and high station, he should be wholly free from arrogance, or ostentation.«

Taken from: Lady Blessington: The Idler in France. Paris: Galignani, 1841: 60f.