A JUDGE OF WINE 211 



said, that the ' professional borrower ' knew much more 

 than he did, and so gave it up. 



He was often appealed to for advice in any difficult 

 or delicate question. A gentleman, whose name he 

 mentioned, but I have forgotten, once said to him : 



' Fred, Mr. So-and-So has paid me 100 twice ; what 

 ought I to do ?' 



' Why, ask him for it again,' was his prompt reply, 

 much to the amusement of himself and friend. 



As of others, so of him, stories are told of his gallantry 

 and the influence he had with the sex. But whilst he 

 was always ready to avow his admiration, he was equally 

 ready to declare that their intrigues he could not fathom. 



I have mentioned, in an earlier chapter, that he had 

 the repute of being a judge of wine. This was un- 

 doubtedly his due. He once enjoyed a very fine old 

 bottle of port at Salisbury when staying for the races, 

 and offered the late Mr. Henry Figes, of the Three Swans 

 Hotel, a guinea a bottle for every drop he had in his 

 cellar. The offer was refused, and the special bin im- 

 mediately christened ' Swindell port '! And for a period 

 after, whenever called for, with diligent search the land- 

 lord usually found one, and for many years it was ' the 

 very last bottle.' 



Every action of his life was characterized by prudence. 

 One of his earliest precautions was the investment of a 

 sum that would bring him in 100 a year, ' just to keep 

 me and the missus,' as he phrased it. ' The rest I can 

 play with,' he said. He lived for some time at 18, 

 Berkeley Square, until, being offered a good premium, 

 he ' copped,' and disposed of his bargain. He then went 

 to Craven Hill, and afterwards to Barnes, by the side 

 of the river, until he settled in his own house, Eoyal 

 Crescent, Brighton, where he died. He had his faults 



