212 MR. SWINDELL 



who has not ? And he had especially to fight against the 

 lack of education. He was, as I have said, never out of 

 temper ; neither chagrined by defeat nor elated at suc- 

 cess. I never heard him swear, or speak evil of anyone 

 in jest or seriously. Of him it may be truly said : He 

 was not a * pipe for fortune's fingers to sound what stop 

 she pleases.' He never would allow anyone to open the 

 front-door but himself when at home, and this he would 

 do fifty times a day or more. His object in this, I 

 imagine, was that he did not want anyone to know but 

 himself who came, and then, as he used to say, ' they ' 

 (meaning his servants) ' could not tell anyone.' 



His custom was to breakfast at ten, and dine at half- 

 past six o'clock, seldom taking anything between meals. 

 He was a hearty eater, and drank moderately of wine, 

 especially port, though never to excess. But he paid the 

 penalty of even moderate indulgence, and had to undergo 

 a serious illness and painful operation, and to be content 

 with the more wholesome if less palatable old Scotch 

 whisky. The last time I saw him was at Brighton, on 

 the Esplanade, in a cold wind, without a great-coat. We 

 chatted matters over; but he felt his time for leaving 

 this world was at hand, and said he did not think he 

 should live long nor did he. He left his wife well 

 provided for, and several annuities to different persons ; 

 and the remainder of his great fortune, 140,000, he left 

 to his son. But, on good authority, I am told he left 

 nearly 100,000 more. Whether this remainder was 

 given in his lifetime to save succession duty or not I don't 

 know, but should think it very likely. 



