The Life of Fred Archer 303 
" I fear that poor Fred Archer only adds one more to the 
list of those whose lives have been shortened by excessive 
wasting — at least, I can call to mind that poor Tom French, 
another of the best type of horsemen, wrecked his brilliant 
career by excessive wasting to ride in France. Men, however 
wealthy, will run extraordinary risks to gratify their ambition 
in winning races, and Archer pinched himself cruelly to ride 
St. Mirin for the Cambridgeshire, as he fully thought he could 
win on him ; whilst last week Mr. Abington, one of the richest 
commoners in England, most foolishly faced the starter in a 
silk jacket, minus his shirt, to save half a pound when riding 
at a country meeting, in spite of the advice of his friends, 
who begged him to put on a thick flannel and declare the 
extra weight. 
" I do not on this account desire a higher scale of weights, 
as there is no necessity for those who cannot get down to a 
certain standard to sport silk, and there are plenty of lads 
anxious to ride intermediate weights. Now that there is 
' No Best ' left in the riding world, owners need require no one 
to make special exertions on their account, and the almost 
superhuman excellence of one bright star will not confound 
the most careful calculations of handicappers ; although I 
would not have it understood that I consider that many of the 
existing jockeys do not ride quite up to the average of past 
years." 
THE END. 
