THE ANONYMOUS LETTER-WRITER. 191 



upon the credulous or timid ; but unfortunately there are those 

 amongst honourable gentlemen who are imposed upon by false- 

 hoods, concocted for the benefit of the writer, under the guise 

 of friendship for the receiver. Personally, I have known, as 

 the result of an anonymous letter, a whole stud of horses re- 

 moved from Whitewall to Danebury in the time of the late 

 Mr. Scott ; and it is impossible to say how many others have 

 been thus removed, or jockeys injured,^ by the same cowardly 

 and shameless means. 



If no contempt is too great, as no punishment would be too 

 severe for these cowards, yet blame for the subsequent action 

 cannot be entirely removed from the shoulders of the one who 

 heeds these communications. For if the receiver be of a 

 credulous or suspicious nature, he communicates his doubts 

 and fears to a friend, who in like manner tells his particular 

 friends, and so amongst them it reaches the ears of those who 

 have originated the scandal (for these men seldom work with- 

 out accomplices), whose object is thus accomplished, for the 

 rumour is easily and irresponsibly set afloat. In the case I 

 have mentioned at foot, there is no doubt that the writer and 

 his lordship's confidential servant were confederates ; and that 



^ The incident in point was the following : — An anonymous writer informed a 

 certain noble marquess, "that if his jockey rode a certain horse for him at Ascot, 

 he would not win ; of which fact he had indubitable proofs." . It is needless to 

 say that had he been called upon to produce them, they, as well as the writer, 

 would have been non est. What did the nobleman do on receiving this startling 

 piece of information? Did he, as he ought to have done, in justice to his jockey, 

 and in vindication of his own action, see his jockey, and telling him of it, ask 

 for an explanation, and then consult his trainer as to the expediency of changing 

 or retaining his jockey ? He did nothing of the sort ; but he consulted his con- 

 fidential friend in racing matters, his house-steward, who recommended a change. 

 It was done, and the horse won ; and shortly after, and from the same cause, the 

 horses were all removed to Danebury. And all this was done at the instance of 

 two intriguing and unscrupulous cowards, taking advantage of the credulity of 

 old age. 



