TESTIMONIAL TO ME F. N. MENZIES. 33 



ness and interests of the Society.— Edinburgh, 17th July 1878." The tankard was 

 designed aud made by Messrs Hamilton, Crichton, & Co., jewellers, George Street, 

 Edinburgh. 



The Marquis of Lothian said that perhaps he might be allowed, as President of the 

 Society, to make a few remarks in corroboration of what the noble Duke had stated. 

 He could only say how very much gratified he felt, both personally and officially, that 

 this presentation to Mr Menzles should have taken place during his period of office. 

 (Applause.) His Grace had specially referred to last year, which was the first year of 

 his presidency of that great Society. He had had a great many opportunities, official 

 and otherwise, of meeting Mr Menzies during that time, and he could corroborate what 

 had fallen from his Grace as to the high sense of duty, and the desire manifested to 

 promote the interests of the Society, that actuated Mr Menzies in what was done last 

 year. He might perhaps be better able than his Grace to testify to the great mental 

 difficulties under which the work had been carried on by Mr Menzies. Most of them would 

 have shrunk from the performance of the duties under the circumstances in which Mr 

 Menzies found himself, and made it an excuse for doing less than usual. He, on the 

 contrary, found in his sorrow only an incentive to promote in every way the success of 

 the Show. He thought that the exhibition itself was the best proof of the sense of 

 of duty which animated Mr Menzies. Before that time, as a Director of the Society, 

 he had a great many opportunities of seeing and meeting with Mr Menzies officially and 

 otherwise. He believed that the experience he had had of that gentlemen was the 

 experience of all who had had any dealings with him— his great courtesy, and his 

 endeavour, while doing his duty to the Society, to please and to be useful to all -with 

 whom he came in contact. (Applause.) There were a great many testimonials. 

 There were some that were subscribed to as a matter of duty, and there were others 

 subscribed to because it was a pleasure to do so ; and he thought that this testimonial 

 was most emphatically one of the latter class. (Applause.) All who had subscribed 

 to it had felt a sincere pleasure in being able in that way to testify to Mr Menzies their 

 sense of the manner in which he had discharged his duties as Secretary of the Society. 

 As President of the Society he begged to express his congratulations to Mr Menzies and 

 to the Society for presenting him with so handsome a testimonial. (Applause. ) 



The Duke of Buccleuch then presented Mr Menzies writh a cheque for £1156 and the 

 silver tankard. 



Mr Menzies, who was received with loud applause, returned thanks. He said he 

 wished he could find words to express the feelings that he had on this occasion. The 

 testimonial which he had had the honour to receive from his Grace he had, of course, 

 known about .for some time ; and he felt verj' proud of it. (Applause.) When he became 

 Secretary of that gi'eat Society he followed, as his Grace had said, in the footsteps of a 

 very eminent man who carried on the business of the Society for twenty years with 

 great success and satisfaction to the members. He felt great diffidence in following 

 such a man. The business of the Society was so multifarious, and so many different 

 subjects were connected with it, that it was not easy for a new Secretary to fulfil all 

 its duties. He felt that he would be wanting in his duty towards the other officials 

 of the Society if he did not mention the name of an old and valued friend, 

 Mr Duncan— (Applause) — who was of the greatest benefit to him from his long ex- 

 perience, and his extreme zeal and willingness. (Applause). There were many things 

 which enhanced to him the value of this testimonial. His Grace and Mr Walker had 

 both alluded to the circumstance that the movement began outside the direction. 

 The Directors, he might say, had been his personal friends since he became Secretary 

 of the Society, and they had gone on like a happy family ; and it might have been 

 thought by some that the movement liad been commenced from their personal wish to 

 appreciate the zeal he had displayed in their service. But it originated outside the 

 Directors, and on an occasion which he should never forget. Had it not been from a 

 strong sense of duty, he might not have carried on the Society's business as he had 

 done last year; but, thank God, he got through it. (Applause). This expression of 

 their appreciation of his services he looked upon with the very greatest feeling not only 

 of gratitude, but something more than gratitude — (Applause) — and he would always 

 feel that he owed to the Society every possible exertion that he could make on behalf 

 of its interests. (Applause). There was another matter that he would like to allude 

 to — namely, that it was a great satisfaction to him to receive this testimonial at the 

 hands of his Grace. (Applause). When he was appointed Secretary he believed it 

 was the desire of the Society that his Grace should be elected President for the second 

 time, because he was so well acquainted with the affairs of the Society. He was also 

 known to be a thorough business man, who would not spare time nor trouble in seeing 

 that the business was properly done, and that he would keep him (Mr Menzies) right 

 in regard to the matters that came before them. (Applause). He had to thank his 

 Grace for the kind interest he took in him at that time, and but for him he might have 

 made a great many mistakes at the outset. He was sure that there was no one who 

 might be placed in his position but would be proud of the Duke being present on such 



