280 THE HORSE. 



writers a few years past and present, in the Sporting 

 Magazine, for the immaculate integrity of pedigree, 

 the faith of which, according to a late writer, Mr. 

 Frewen — " should be preserved unsullied and suspi- 

 cionless, as the honour of Caesar's wife." Never 

 having submitted to implicit faith on any question, 

 my watch words on all, being audi alteram partem, no 

 wonder that my faith is not sufficiently pliable on the 

 present, though such, surely rational conduct, has 

 brought me ill will. It will certainly amuse many 

 experienced persons, to observe this gentleman placing 

 an unreserved dependence on the, no doubt, pure and 

 virgin scrupulosity with which all matters relative to 

 the Turf, must needs be, and ever are conducted. His 

 enthusiasm, however, being a little cooled by inquiry 

 and further reflection, he will probably see just cause 

 for some change of opinion on that point ; and as he 

 appears to have adopted my sentiments on other rela- 

 tive points, I should not be surprised at his ultimately 

 agreeing with me in those at present at issue. 



But as a preface to this branch of the subject, it 

 becomes me to acknowledge a very prominent error, 

 into which nothing could have led me but that hu- 

 mana incuria, from which, fortuitously, no human 

 being can be exempt. I allude to my mistatement in 

 the first volume of my Treatise on Horses, respecting 

 the pedigree, that is, the want of it, in the famous 

 racer Bay Bolton. No racer could have a more per- 

 fect pedigree. I can account for my egregious blunder 

 no otherwise than, that I mistook Partner for Bay 

 Bolton, it depending on memory, in the print which 

 I saw at Dulwich. As to the famous Partner, there 



