COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 231 



" Colonel Balfour of Balbirnie made the presen- 

 tation. After referring to the pleasure it afforded 

 them to see that the proceedings were graced by the 

 presence of ladies, who were heartily welcome, he 

 said they were all aware that some months ago his 

 friend on the left (Colonel Anstruther Thomson), 

 who had been the moving and managing spirit of 

 their established county pack so long, had determined 

 to retire from the management. There was at that 

 a universal feeling of regret, accompanied by a spon- 

 taneous desire on the part of his friends that some 

 small token of their admiration of him and the esteem 

 in which they held him as a county gentleman would 

 be appropriate, and that their appreciation of his 

 abilities as a Master of Foxhounds should be recog- 

 nised. As they were all well aware, his able master- 

 ship of the foxhounds had been well noticed in the 

 midland counties and in the Pytchley Hunt, and they 

 did not need to go further than that. But they were 

 proud of him as being a county man. He had always 

 been foremost in all that related to the interests of 

 the county, civil, agricultural or military. In short, 

 in all their social arrangements, and in everything 

 that pertained to county business, they had always 

 had his advice, his opinion and his presence, and he 

 was sure they were all glad to have him among them 

 on that occasion. For himself, he was proud to have 

 been authorised by those of his friends whose names 

 were engraved upon the casket before him to present 

 the same to Colonel Anstruther Thomson, along 

 with his favourite horse ' Fairy Ring ' and 560 



