PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS. 275 



and was as much at home with the one as the other. 

 His association with the former was, however, merely 

 for business purposes. He made no effort to raise 

 his own social position beyond what his occupation 

 naturally accorded to him. He sought companions 

 in the middle class, though he often found recreation 

 in the company of those beneath him. Beyond a few 

 immediate friends, he did not care for company in the 

 best sense of the word. In one room of his house a 

 peer would be seated, trusting his presence unknown, 

 hoping to secure a loan of £1,000; whilst in the 

 next, Swindell would be attending to the wants of a 

 returned outcast desirous of borrowing a £10 note to 

 start him in business again with a barrow and a moke. 

 And he would feel more pleasure in assisting the one 

 as a gift, than the other on the security of ' a promise 

 to pay.' Indeed, in his bill transactions he was not 

 happy. He lost money over them, discovering, as he 

 said, that the 'professional borrower' knew much 

 more than he did, and so gave it up. 



He was often appealed to for advice in any difficult 

 or delicate question. A gentleman, Avhose name he 

 mentioned, but I have forgotten, once said to him : 



'Fred, Mr. So-and-So has paid me £100 twice; 

 what ouidit I to do ?' 



' Why, ask him for it again,' was his prompt reply, 

 much to the amusement of himself and friend. 



As of others, so of him, stories are told of his 

 gallantry and the influence he had with the sex. But 



18—2 



