186 THE WARWICKSHIRE HUNT. :i89(> 



the fei'liuovs wliicli belougod tu tlu' hero of the (hiy. and felt himself, like 

 Tarn O'Shaiiter, " o'er a' the ills o' life victorious." (Cheers.) As he had 

 already reminded them, Lord Willoiighby had devoted many of the best 

 years of his life to their enjoyment, and they had met to show him and 

 express to him how mneh they apjireciated his kindness in carrying on the 

 Mastership of the Warwickshire Hounds in tlie way he had done. They 

 thanked him, and thanked hiin heartily, for the sport he had shown. But 

 there Avere also other reasons for the good feeling associated with the present 

 gathering, for a gi-eat many of them knew Lord Willougldiy as a kind and 

 considerate landlord — (hear, hear, and applause) — and he might say that his 

 lordship was equally esteemed among them as a country gentleman and a man 

 of business, aye, and to many he was endeared ))y his kindness and benevolence. 

 (Applause.) Now, gentlemen, added the Chairman in conclusion, I beg to 

 propose the health of Lord Willoughby de Broke with three times three. I 

 wish him long life and prosperity. May he live long to reign over the 

 Warwickshire Hounds, and enjoy tlu^ popularity he so richly deserves. 



The toast was received with loud and prolonged cheers, accompanied by a 

 deafening storm of " Whoo-whoops I " from all parts of the room, these 

 characteristic sounds gradually giving way to the well-known chorus : " For 

 he's a jolly good fellow," which was sung with true limiting enthusiasm. 



Lord Willoughby l>e Broke, on rising to respond, was greeted with 

 renewed cheers. He said : Mr. Chairman, my lords, and gentlemen. I could 

 wish in no set or conventional phrase to render you my most heartfelt thanks, 

 not only for the great compliment you have paid me in asking me to be your 

 guest this evening — a compliment which, believe me, my lords and gentlemen. 

 I shall not forget to my dying day. and I hope that mycliildren will not either 

 — but also for the very kind way in which you liave responded to the toast 

 that has just been propcjsed l)y Mr. Knott. It is. as Mr. Knott has said, 

 some fourteen or fifteen years since I was first elected Master of the 

 Warwickshire Hounds. I felt a certain amount of diffidence in succeeding" 

 to that office, liecause I knew I was following a gentleman who had shown 

 very good sport indeed during a long period of Mastership, and who was very 

 poj)idar indeed in the district, whom I recollect lieing entertained at a 

 similar dinner to this at the Court House at Warwick, whom I for one was 

 A'ery sorry t(j see resign, and whom I am equally sorry to say is prevented 

 by a family loss we must all deplore from being present on this occasion. 

 (Hear, hear.) But if, by asking me here to-night, and if, hy speaking of me 

 in the far too complimentary terms which your Chairman has done — terms 

 which I feel I have done nothing whatever to deserve — you have rendered 

 my task somewhat difficult in responding to this toast — still, gentlemen, 

 you have not rendered iny task difficult during the fifteen years in which it 

 has been my pleasure, my pride, and my honour, to preside over the destinies 

 of the Warwickshire Hounds. (Applause.) During those fifteen years I 

 have received the A'ery greatest possible kindness from the occupiers of land, 

 from the owners of land, and, in fact, from all who have hunted with the 

 Warwickshire Hounds. They have been kind, they have been indiUgent. 

 they have been forgiving of my many, by far too many, faults and imperfec- 

 tions, which arise from a hasty temper — (" No ") — faults, gentlemen, wliiclu 

 believe me, nobody is more sensible of than myself. Mr. Knott has been 

 kind enough to allude to the success of the Warwickshire Homuls at 

 Peterborough, and their performances in the field, which last. I venture to 



