A CHARGE OF FALSEHOOD REFUTED. 
761 
“ The pedigree and performances of Guildford were also furnished to Mr. 
Youatt by me. A reference to the Racing Calendar , or to page 432 of the 
eleventh volume of The Veterinarian, where there is a lengthened account 
of his life, death, and 'post-mortem examination, will convince your corre- 
spondent of the accuracy of this statement. 
“ I can also produce abundance of proof respecting this horse, if required ; 
and challenge your correspondent to come fairly and boldly forward to prove 
those gross falsehoods of which he assures you the work is made up. 
“ Trusting that you will give insertion to these observations, I am, Sir, 
“ Your very obedient servant, 
“ Infirmary for Domesticated Animals, “ Henry Daws, V.S.” 
“ Gresse Street, Rathbone Place, 
“22 dAug. 1838.” 
It is well known to all my friends that the greater part of the 
work on “ Humanity” was dictated by me as I lay on a sick, and, 
as we thought for awhile, a dying bed. In consequence of this 
many of my vouchers were mislaid. I could not therefore adopt 
the advice of Mr. Daws, to crush the matter at once by giving my 
authority for the disgracefully cruel end of “ Ambo” and “ Hit or 
Miss,” for I had forgotten from whom I had derived my informa- 
tion. I wrote immediately to Mr. Hickman of Shrewsbury, Mr. 
Hayes of Rochdale, Mr. Hales of Oswestry, and Mr. Cartwright of 
Whitchurch. The last gentleman told me that I had derived my 
account from Mr. Hales, and that he — Mr. Cartwright — always 
understood that Ambo died in a ditch, and was shamefully used. 
From Mr. Hales I received a most satisfactory letter on the fol- 
lowing day : — He says, 
“ I am satisfied that your account of these two horses will be found sub- 
stantially, if not literally , correct. As regards Ambo, I certainly was not 
present when 
4 The high mettled racer heav’d his last sigh 
but that he lived in want and misery is undoubted, and death in any shape 
must have been welcome to him. Of his 4 stage-coach’ adventures I am per- 
fectly cognizant, having more than once seen him running an opposition coach 
through Oswestry, and when that concern broke up I could have purchased 
him for £5. After that, as you may suppose, the poor fellow’s misery in good 
earnest commenced ; and I have been told that a sporting gentleman, being 
informed of the degraded state of the old horse, sent to purchase him, that he 
might be shot, but he was too late, 4 Ambo was dead.’ 
“ Hit or Miss covered in this neighbourhood for several seasons, and, after 
becoming blind and getting out of favour, was sold. He did draw coals from 
the Shrewsbury wharf to different parts of that town ; and the old horse would 
take a load of coals up the Castle-gates — a steep pitch in the streets — better 
than any of the jagger’s horses. There has been more than one 4 Hit or Miss’ 
on the turf, but the horse to which I allude was by Hap-hazard. If neces- 
sary, I could mention other instances of horses having 4 fallen from their high 
estate.’ I recollect Meliloeus being offered to me for £4.” 
44 1 am, &c. &c. &c. 
44 J. M. Hales.” 
5 G 
VOL. XII. 
