TilK FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



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see the very cordial mauuer in whic'a the meeting bad received 

 its distinguished visitors. The siiccesa of their meetiug liad 

 been very much enhanced by the manner in which the iiei^h- 

 bouring gentry had come forward to help onward the good 

 cause ; and he would menti )n particularly those residing in 

 the adjoining counties of Wales ; and it was solely owing to 

 their agency that the Society was enabled to carry on the 

 wonderful exhibition which had been displayed before them, 

 lie would not enlartje upon the subject of agriculture, which 

 he might have iiiied to do, but confine himself to the toaat 

 which he had to propose, and which introduced the names of 

 two distinguished foreigners who were present that evening. 

 They were honoured that evening with the presence of a 

 Marshiil of France (loud applause). It was, he thou-;ht, per- 

 fectly unnecessary for him to detail the military exploits that 

 had encircled the name of tiiat great general. Famous as he 

 had been in arms and distiugniahed as bad been his military 

 exploits, yet there was another reison they should not omit to 

 mention, because it was not always the capacity iu which a 

 great general acted, and that was, he came there as the repre- 

 sentative of the mighty monarchy of France, wliose Emperor 

 had sent him, not for the military achievements to which he 

 had alluded, but as the minister of peace (loud applause). It 

 was iu that capacity they must regard him ; and it was with a 

 view of cementing the interests which then existed between 

 the two important countries that he had come to England. 

 History told them that there had been many a war between 

 France and England, acd it went further and told them that 

 those wars never took place without producing the inevitable 

 consequence — misery to each. Sweden also bad her repre- 

 sentative amongst them (applause). She v^as represented by a 

 gentleman well-worthy of their esteem and respect. And it 

 was a very pleasing fact of which Count Platen had informed 

 him, that lately they had commenced holding similar meetings 

 to the one they hid been holJing, in various parts of his 

 country. The result which had attended these meetings had 

 been most satisfactory, for whereas Sweden could formerly 

 hardly supply herself with corn, she was an exporting country. 

 Tliere was another circumstance worthy of note as regarded 

 Count Platen — he was half an Englishman, having served as 

 a midshipman for three years in the British navy (loud 

 applause). He sincerely hoped that their mission might long 

 continue what it was ; and, in conclusion, he would call upon 

 them to drink the health of their distinguished visitors. 

 (Drunk with enthusiastic cheers). 



The Duke de Malakoff, who was received with loud 

 cheers, replied in French, i;iid said — My lords and gentlemen, 

 I rise to thank the Marquis of Westminster for proposing, 

 and you for receiving, the toast of my health with so much 

 cordiality and friendship. I am exceedingly happy to have 

 this opportunity of standing before you, and with all tie 

 wartnth of nature which I am capable of using of thanking 

 you, and not only you but that class you represent, for the 

 rep!!ated protestations of good-will which the French nation is 

 continually receiving from you. I would thank you, my lord, 

 and you, geutlemen, in the name cf the corps diplomatique, of 

 which the Count Platen and myself are members, for the very 

 kind way in which you have drunk our healths. Your country 

 has stirred France to improve her agriculture, like you have 

 done; we have been' learning from you, and it has been 

 bsi.eflcial to us. May the happy interchange of thoughts and 

 enterprises long continue (applause). It gives me great plea- 

 sure to represent the French nation at the Court of your gra- 

 cious Queen ; but, in doing so, I have duties to perform which 

 I much feared would prevent my accepting your kind invi- 

 tation to he present on this occasion, which was sent a month 



ago. I had a summon to attend AldersUot this day, which, on 

 account of this meetng, I declined, one reason being that I 

 am fond of agriculture, and have done ray best to promote its 

 development iu the French colonies of Algeria, where I am 

 happy to say it is making great progress. I again assure you 

 I am very grateful for the honour you have done me in drink- 

 ing my health (cheers). 



Count UK Pi.ATEN, who was also most cordially received, 

 said he hoped that they would excuse him saying a few words 

 iu responding to the toast, as ho knew that one of the princi- 

 pal rules at meetings like the present was not to take up more 

 time than was actually required for the task in hand. He was 

 at a loss to know which foreigners coming to a foreirn country 

 admired mo4— the iuteresting view that met their eyes, or 

 the kindness with which they were allowed to look iuto every- 

 thing. For his own part he came down to Chester to make 

 observations on the show, as he was very fond of agricultural 

 pursuits, in addition to which agriculture had done great things 

 for Sweden, and he hoped would do more. At the same time 

 he hoped the cations of Europe might continue in the same 

 friendly relations as they had done, and then the whole human 

 community wo\ild reap the benefit (loud applause). He had in 

 conclusion but one wish to make, and that was that they 

 would ever contiuue to exercise the same feelings as they had 

 done for Swedes {swedes) in general (cheers and laughter). 



" The Army and Navy" was next given, and responded to 

 by the Hon. Col. Nelson Hood. 



The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P. was received 

 with loud cheers. He said : — My lords and Gentlemen, I am 

 quite sure that I could not fail of addressing what would be 

 acceptable to you this evening if only it were true that the 

 subject with which a man has to deal inspires with it ideas 

 that appropriately belong to it ; for you have chosen me, my 

 lord — and it is only in obedience to your commands that I 

 acquiesce iu your choice — you have chosen for me an unde- 

 served honour iu entrusting me with the charge of proposing 

 to this company that they should drink what every man will 

 drink with the utmost satisfaction and joy — " Prosperity to 

 the Royal Agricultural Society of England" (applause). For 

 this is a toast, my lord, that carries written upon its very brow, 

 the whole of its clairaj to an enthusiastic reception (applause). 

 A society founded under the highest auspices, a accicty which 

 invites in its support every class of the community ; and 

 which, therefore, is itself among the efficacious means of 

 exhibiting to the world the union of classes, without which 

 there is no strength iu any community — (applause) — and 

 with which every community is irresistible and indestructible ; 

 and this society is so founded, and so combines the universal 

 suffrages of the country, directed, as it is, to such a purpose 

 as that of promoting the most essential and the moat venerable 

 among all the arts that furnish material for the industry of 

 man (applause). Whatever else may come and whatever 

 else may go, this at least we know, that no vicissitude of time 

 or change caa displace agriculture from the position it has 

 ever held— (Hear, hear)— from the very first state of the 

 generations of man until the last day in the crack of doom 

 itself (cheers). Now, my lord, as one having indeed little 

 claim to address you, but not uninterested in agriculture and 

 its result?, I will state in a few words to this company why it 

 is I think we ought to feel grateful to the Agricultural 

 Society for having chosen Chester as the scene of one of its 

 meetings, and for the general prosecution of its labours, with 

 that energy, intelligence, and success that have ever marked 

 its progress. In the first place I take it that it is cf the 

 utmost importance to agriculture that it should have the 

 means of recording its ascension and its decline. We must 



