TOUTS AND TIPSTERS. 121 



This was surely a case of the hlind leading the blind ; 

 no matter, the proj)het confessed that he made a good 

 living out of the business. Many instances of good 

 livings being earned by tipping might be given. At one 

 time there Avould not be less than perhaps a hundred 

 persons engaged trying to make the fortunes of their 

 fellow-creatures, but when the daily newspapers began 

 to give extended notices of turf matters, these gentry 

 became in less request. A selection of advertise- 

 ments relating to the Derb}^, extending over the last 

 fifty years, would form a curious chapter illustrative 

 of human folly. Some of the tipsters advertised that 

 they had dreamt the winner, and that they would 

 impart their information on receipt of half-a- crown's 

 worth of postage-stamps ; others, again, wished it to be 

 known that, by means of clairvoyance, they had 

 ascertained the name of the horse which would win, 

 and also another one, at a long price, which would 

 obtain a place. 



The Derby was selected by the adventurers as the 

 best race to work upon, because of its strong hold on 

 the popular affections of the people. Many persons 

 bet a little over that event who never bet on any 

 other race. There are men who say, ' I am not a bet- 

 ting man, but I do sport a sovereign or two over the 

 Derby, win or lose.' A surprising amount of success 

 often attended the bouncing advertisements of these 

 tipster knaves ; it became known, in the case of one of 

 them, that for eight days before the Derby he received 

 about two hundred letters each day, every one of which 

 probably contained twelve postage stamps, as also a 

 stamped envelope for reply. 



