THE WORD. 349 



good for the new arrival until after the race, when, if 

 his starter does not come up to expectations, they 

 part. Should he have a clever horse, Mr. Freshman 

 is declared in with all the good things in which he has 

 a starter and is a member of the guild just so long as 

 his horse holds his form, always providing that he 

 does not talk too much. 



But of "tout," the word itself, Webster says, "One 

 who secretly watches race horses which are in course 

 of training to get information about their capacities, 

 for use in betting." There is nothing in the Diction- 

 ary to show where the word comes from, but from 

 other sources I learn that it, like English racing, dates 

 from the reign of Charles II., when the sprucer sort 

 of citizens galloped from London to Epsom not to see 

 the Derby or the Oaks, as they were then unheard of, 

 but to do a little Epsom water drinking. The waters 

 were considered efficacious, and the citizens east of 

 Temple Bar were supposed to receive much benefit 

 from their use. The citizen on his way to Epsom, 

 during the reign of the "Merry Monarch," was met at 

 Tooting by tradesmen, quack doctors and lodging- 

 house keepers, with so many importunities for patron- 

 age that the word "touting" derives its origin from 

 the village where their plying for trade was carried to 

 such an extent. The step from "tooting" or "tout- 

 ing" to "tout" is too apparent to require comment. 



