THE ANONYMOUS LETTER-WRITER. 191 
upon the credulous or timid; but unfortunately there are those 
amongst honourable gentlemen who are imposed upon by false- 
hoods, concocted for the benefit of the writer, under the guise 
of friendship for the receiver. Personally, I have known, as 
the result of an anonymous letter, a whole stud of horses re- 
moved from Whitewall to Danebury in the time of the late 
Mr. Scott ; and it is impossible to say how many others have 
been thus removed, or jockeys injured,! by the same cowardly 
and shameless means. 
If no contempt is too great, as no punishment would be too 
severe for these cowards, yet blame for the subsequent action 
cannot be entirely removed from the shoulders of the one who 
heeds these communications. For if the receiver be of a 
credulous or suspicious nature, he communicates his doubts 
-and fears to a friend, who in like manner tells his particular 
friends, and so amongst them it reaches the ears of those who 
have originated the scandal (for these men seldom work with- 
out accomplices), whose object is thus accomplished, for the 
rumour is easily and irresponsibly set afloat. In the case I 
have mentioned at foot, there is no doubt that the writer and 
his lordship’s confidential servant were confederates ; and that 
1 The incident in point was the following :—An anonymous writer informed a 
certain noble marquess, ‘‘that if his jockey rode a certain horse for him at Ascot, 
he would not win; of which fact he had indubitable proofs,’”’ _It is needless to 
say that had he been called upon to produce them, they, as well as the writer, 
would have been oz est. What did the nobleman do on receiving this startling 
piece of information? Did he, as he ought to have done, in justice to his jockey, 
and in vindication of his own action, see his jockey, and telling him of it, ask 
for an explanation, and then consult his trainer as to the expediency of changing 
or retaining his jockey? He did nothing of the sort; but he consulted his con- 
fidential friend in racing matters, his house-steward, who recommended a change. 
It was done, and the horse won; and shortly after, and from the same cause, the 
horses were all removed to Danebury. And all this was done at the instance of 
two intriguing and unscrupulous cowards, taking advantage of the credulity of 
oid age. 
