JOHN DILLY 109 



referring to these two worthies, that they both ended 

 their days as reformed characters, in great rectitude, 

 and as severe disciplinarians. Mr. Ramsay became a 

 Methodist preacher and teetotaler, and Mr. Craven, 

 abandoning his former habits, led a strictly religious life. 



I have referred to another curious character, John 

 Dilly, the trainer. I am unprepared to say whether he 

 caught his many eccentricities from association with Mr. 

 Fulwar Craven, or whether the latter enriched his super- 

 abundant store of anecdotes from Mr. Dilly's repertory. 

 How this was will never be known. But I may say 

 that the Littleton trainer was always impecunious, for 

 he lived extravagantly, and beyond his means. He was 

 also not regarded as being over-attentive to the truth. 

 One day he asked Mr. Wreford, who trained with him at 

 the time, if he would do him a little favour by putting 

 his name to a bill for him for 300. It was, as he con- 

 fidently assured him, ' but a matter of form.' But Mr. 

 Wreford did not see it, and briefly replied : 



1 The matter of form is simply this, Mr. Dilly if you 

 can't pay it I must.' 



After borrowing of any and every one he could, and 

 after having tired all his relations out, he hit upon the 

 following successful scheme to raise 25 from his brother. 

 He was then living at Newmarket, and his brother, Mr. 

 Montgomery Dilly, at Littleton, in Hampshire. John 

 Dilly wrote in the name of a * mutual friend,' in a dis- 

 guised hand, and said : 



* DEAK SIR, 



' I am sorry to inform you your poor brother, Mr. John, is no 

 more. He departed this life this morning, almost without a struggle. 

 Feeling sure you would like to see him have a decent burial, I have 

 given instructions to the undertaker to see this carried out. I think 

 the expense will be about 30 ; but if you send me your cheque for 25, 

 I will get the accounts and send them to you as soon as the funeral is 



