THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



109 



that he unites iu himself the conceutratioa of the feelings of 

 a very large number of friends, not by any means expressed by 

 the number in this room, because it accommodates but a 

 limited number, and there is a large number of subscribers 

 who, from unavoidable causes, are prevented from attending 

 here this day. If he will permit me to take the liberty, I will 

 put it on, and I trust it will remind him that worth, virtue, 

 and honesty are not always in this world, however inadequately, 

 nnrewarded. The Chairman then proposed Mr. Donald's 

 health, which was drunk with great enthusiasm. 



Mr. Donald then rose and was received with loud cheers. 

 He said— Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice-chairman, and gentlemen, 

 it has been said, and I thiak with some truth, that when the 

 heart feels most the tongue has the greatest difficulty in ex- 

 pressing. And if I was ever placed in a situation where more 

 than under ordinary circumstances I had an opportunity of 

 feeling the full force of that truth, the present is that occasion. 

 I feel, gentlemen, that merely to thank the worthy chairman 

 for the very flattering terms he has been pleased to apply to 

 me would be but a poor expression of my feelings. But be as- 

 sured I will remember to the last day of my life the very flat- 

 tering manner in which you have conveyed to me this valuable 

 testimonial. The value, according to its intrinsic worth is 

 great; but it has a higher value in my estimation, as it conveys 

 to me in language which could not be misunderstood, that 

 during the long time I have acted as secretary of the East 

 Cumberland Agricultural Society I have met with your appro- 

 bation; and shows to me in a way in which there can be no 

 mistake, that I am iu possession of your respect and esteem. 

 which I value at a much higher price than silver or gold. 

 Gentlemen, I have sometimes thought, and I assure you it is 

 without aflfectation, that some one who could have carried 

 more energy into the business than I was possessed of, would 

 have made a more efficient serv. ;t in the interests of the so- 

 ciety; but after the proceedings of this day I may perhaps be 

 vain enough to think that I had formed a wrong opinion. We 

 have sometimes heard of the want of public gratitude, but I 

 have seen that when any man has had a just claim on the 

 public he has never gone unrewarded. This must be encou- 

 raging to my successor, who possesses zeal and f^bility, and if 

 to this he will add patient perseverance, when ho retires from 

 ofl5ce at the end of five-and-twenty years he need not fear that 

 his services will be forgotten. Gentlemen, during the long 

 time I have acted with you it has been my fortune to be asso- 

 ciated with four treasurers. First, there was the late Mr. 

 Bowman, whom you all knew very well. He had been the 

 treasurer for other societies before, and a more exact and 

 painstaking treasurer could not be, aud I have often wondered 

 how at his great age he could manage the work. Then came 

 the late Mr. Farish, than whom a more worthy man never lived. 

 He was succeeded by the late Mr. Rome, a spirited farmer, 

 and most active treasurer; but unfortunately, like his predeces- 

 sors, his health and strength were not equal to the work he 

 had before him. Gentlemen, we have now my friend Mr. Dalton. 

 I caunot in hia presence say all I would say about him ; but I 

 will say, and I believe I only express the feelings aud sentiment 

 of this company when I say, that I wish he may long live to 

 discharge the duties of treasurer with credit to himself 

 and benefit to the society. The benefit produced by agricul- 

 tural societies is cow so universally admitted that it need 

 not be insisted on here. Whatever produces emulation and 



competition will necessarily produce improvement, and we all 

 know that many agriculturists think their own things best at 

 home ; but when they bring them to be compared with others, 

 they are stimulated to further improvement, So with crops. 

 They think their own best until compared with others, and 

 then they are dissatisfied with the opinions of the judges. I 

 have always found it would be more easy to be successful in 

 gaining a prize if I had not anybody to compete with me. In 

 green crops I had twice the good fortune to be successful, 

 although Mr. Rome aud Mr. Forster, of Moorhouse Hall, 

 were my competitors. They bad both very good turnips, and 

 did not believe they had been well treated ; but they came and 

 saw my crop, and then they both candidly admitted that they 

 were fairly beaten. Another year I had a crop, and, puffed up 

 by mysuccess, I again entered the lists with Mr. Romeasacom- 

 petitor ; but he, having profited by the experience of the 

 former year, had put on the whole steam, and beat me, so that 

 I have never since ventured to enter the lists again. Gentlemen, 

 you are aware we have sometimes heard complaints by parties 

 of the partiality of the judges. That the judges do very often 

 err there can be no question ; if they never erred, they would 

 be more than human. No one had a better opportunity of 

 forming an opinion of their judgments than myself. I have 

 known them come and ask me to whom the animals belonged 

 to which they had awarded the prizes ; while, at the same time, 

 they were accused of partiahty. Gentlemen, it has sometimes 

 even been hinted that politics had something to do with it ; 

 but I have no hesitation in saying that, so far as I was con- 

 cerned, or the committee tliat managed the business of the So- 

 ciety, not a shadow of politics ever interfered with us. And 

 when I look round this room, and see so many gentlemen of 

 different shades of political opinion, I cannot but feel that I 

 am confirmed iu my statement. Our friend the Chairman has 

 political opinions of his own ; aud as to my friend the Vice- 

 Chairman, nobody has any doubt about his opinions. Though 

 he aud I differ always ia politics, we agree in everything. This 

 may seem a parados to some, who are not aware that we agree 

 to differ in politics. Gentlemen, I think we would have ar- 

 rived at a strange state of things if gentlemen could not meet 

 at an agricultural society, or at a meeting like this, without 

 being soured by the demon of politics. Gentlemen, I can't 

 say, in answer to our worthy chairman, that anything is set- 

 tled in the way he recommended ; but his kind advice, allow 

 me to tell you, will encourage me to hope that the exertions 

 which from this time I may set about will, before long, be 

 auccessful. Gentlemen, for the very kind and liberal way in 

 which you have treated me, I really caunot find words to ex- 

 press my feelings as I could wish. I cannot, indeed, tell you 

 how I thank you. When I look at that splendid salver, I am 

 inclined to say, as Cardinal Wolscy said to Henry VIII., 

 " You have made me too great for ray house." And when I 

 look at that beautiful coffee-pot and claret-jug, I feel you have 

 given me additional means of entertaining my kind friends, 

 when you give me a visit ; and I hope that, when you come, 

 you will not say, " I hope k will be the last visit." When I 

 look at this valuable watch, and see how time is flying, it will 

 be a warning to me that time is on the wing ; and every time I 

 look at it, it will remind me of what 1 never can forget, the 

 deep debt of gratitude I owe to my very kind and very 

 ous friends (loud cheers). 



