2 5 2 MR. SWINDELL. 



at his post at the Corner, or at the Club, or any 

 other public resort of betting-men. Here his shrewd- 

 ness and perseverance brought to a successful end 

 any business which he undertook, combined as these 

 qualities were with sobriety, and above all, with 

 reticence. In this particular he seemed to have laid 

 to heart the moral law of the Persians, which taught 

 ' that however a man might be deficient in the quali- 

 ties requisite to actual excellence, the negative virtues 

 at least were in his power ; and though he perhaps 

 could not speak well if he was to try, it was still 

 easy for him not to speak.' And being a temperate 

 and discreet man, he was well fitted to keep secrets 

 he had committed to his charge, as is so well expressed 

 in the following couplet by Francis : 



' And let not wine or anger wrest 

 The entrusted secret from your breast.' 



I never saw him riding on horseback — perhaps he 

 never saw a horse until the eventful and lucky day 

 on which he first visited the races — nor ever wearing" 

 a great-coat. He would drive to the meetings and 

 station himself in one part of the ring, whilst his 

 satellites were doing the work in another, bringing 

 him from time to time information as to where and 

 how the commissions entrusted to them were executed. 

 Mr. George Armstrong, his faithful henchman, was 

 his constant attendant and great ally, through whom, 

 in the latter part of his life, all matters of business 

 were conducted. Poor George, poor and honest, and 



