APPENDIX. 165 



not longer detain them, but propose the health of " Cap- 

 tain Barclay of Ury." The toast was drunk with all the 

 honours. (Air Kind Robin lo'es me.) 



Captain BARCLAY rose amidst loud cheers, and said, 

 Mr Chairman and Gentlemen Unaccustomed as I am 

 to address a large public assembly, I should feel it suffi- 

 ciently embarrassing to do so even on any ordinary occa- 

 sion. You may judge, then, how utterly impossible it is 

 for me, even were I gifted with the command of lan- 

 guage and eloquence of a Peel or a Brougham, to ex- 

 press, in anything like adequate terms, the feelings which 

 at this moment pervade my mind. You have conferred 

 upon me the greatest honour which, in my opinion, a 

 country gentleman can receive the spontaneous expres- 

 sion of approbation of his conduct, by the practical far- 

 mers, cordially joined by the landed proprietors and 

 other kind friends. Gentlemen, I should be paying but 

 a poor compliment to your judgment, if I did not admit 

 that I am aware that this mark of your respect has been 

 caused by your feeling that, by my pursuits and exer- 

 tions as an agriculturist, I have been the means of doing 

 the country some good service. (Cheers.) If I am 

 right in this conjecture, the fondest wish of my heart has 

 been obtained. (Loud cheers.) From my earliest in- 

 fancy my mind was turned to agriculture ; but, in this 

 pursuit, the path was made easy, by the energy, talent, 

 and perseverance of a father. Forty-one years have now 

 passed away since he departed this life, and there are 



