FRED SWINDELL. 397 



was also George Anson's opinion. The messes and 

 mistakes in which he got himself entangled when 

 trying his own horses were too comical, and used 

 to elicit roars of laughter from Nat, his favourite 

 jockey. I do not know which was the worse 

 judge of racing he or his confederate, George 

 Payne." 



The next two letters have reference to personal 

 matters in which " The Pope," as he was univer- 

 sally called by his friends and contemporaries, took 

 deep interest. Writing from Coole Park, Gort, 

 on May 30, 1885, Sir William says: 



" The first that I heard as to the death of my 

 old friend Fred Swindell, was from your article. 

 A young lady whose father lives close to this place, 

 and takes in the , told me there was some- 

 thing in that paper about myself and a very rich 

 betting-man who had just died. Fred Swindell 

 was the most remarkable man of his class that 

 I ever met. He was, of course, remarkable for 

 ability, but still more so for kindness of heart. 

 Speaking from much experience, I can say un- 

 hesitatingly that he was as true as steel to those 

 who trusted him in their racing transactions. As 

 for his drollery, wit, and power of graphic descrip- 

 tion, they rendered an evening passed in his com- 

 pany something never to be forgotten. His stories 

 of Palmer the poisoner were droll to a degree, but 

 occasionally terrifying ; nor shall I forget his look 



