H'ORNE TOOKE AND LAWYER SMITH 319 



and really knew nothing of the matter, being no racing- 

 man himself.' 



This incident, like the other, not only shows how tales 

 get abroad, but points the moral that no one should 

 speak disrespectfully of another unless he knows the 

 company he is in, or, at least, is sure of the absolute 

 exactness of the facts he puts forwards. I am reminded 

 by it of an old but, I believe, a true story of a certain 

 adventure which happened to Home Tooke. When on 

 his way from Devonshire to London on an electioneering 

 expedition he was riding in the inside of the mail with 

 three other passengers, apparently strangers. One of 

 them presently accosted one of the others in these 

 words : 



' Do you happen to know Home Tooke ?' 



' No,' said the other. 



' I am glad to hear it,' he said, pursuing the thread of 

 his discourse ; ' for he is one of the greatest scoundrels 

 alive. There is nothing he will not do to carry his 

 point.' 



At this moment the coach drew up at a wayside inn 

 to change horses, and Home Tooke seized the oppor- 

 tunity to get out and ask the guard if he could tell 

 him who the person who had thus freely maligned him 

 might be. 



1 Tell me,' he said, ' do you know who that old fat man 

 is sitting opposite me facing the horses ?' 



'Oh yes, sir,' was the reply; 'it's old Smith, the 

 lawyer, of Exeter, who is going up to London to vote 

 against Home Tooke.' 



' Oh, indeed ; thanks, guard thanks.' 



After taking his seat, and the journey was resumed, 

 Home Tooke immediately addressed the gentleman to 

 whom Smith had been speaking, and said : 



