192 MR. SWINDELL 



certain sterling qualities that led to this success. Not 

 least of these was the dogged determination which caused 

 him in early life to lose no opportunity to secure a prize, 

 however small, when within his reach. He was always 

 to be seen at his post at the Corner, or at the Club, 

 or any other public resort of betting-men. Here his 

 shrewdness and perseverance brought to a successful end 

 any business which he undertook, combined as these 

 qualities were with sobriety, and, above all, with re- 

 ticence. In this particular he seemed to have laid to 

 heart the moral law of the Persians, which taught ' that 

 however a man might be deficient in the qualites re- 

 quisite to actual excellence, the negative virtues at least 

 were in his power; and though he perhaps could not 

 speak well if he was to try, it was still easy for him not 

 to speak.' And being a temperate and discreet man, he 

 was well fitted to keep secrets he had committed to his 

 charge, as expressed by Francis : 



' And let not wine or anger wrest 

 The entrusted secret from your breast.' 



I never saw him riding on horseback perhaps he 

 never saw a horse until the eventful and lucky day on 

 which he first visited the races nor ever wearing a great- 

 coat. He would drive to the meetings and station him- 

 self in one part of the ring, whilst his satellites were 

 doing the work in another, bringing him from time to 

 time information as to where and how the commissions 

 entrusted to them were executed. George Armstrong, 

 his faithful henchman, was his constant attendant and 

 great ally, through whom, in the latter part of his life, 

 all matters of business were conducted. Poor George, 

 poor and honest, and a puppet in the hands of his 

 friend and patron, was a gentleman and a dandy. Fred 



