96 THE ESSEX FOXHOUNDS. 



Later in the same year (1851) the Master received a 

 testimonial from the Essex Hunt. The gift was a hand- 

 some piece of plate showing the treeing of a fox, with a 

 group made up of Mr. Conyers, Jem Morgan and Will 

 Orvis, with favourite hounds and horses. 



The presentation took place at a dinner at the Shire 

 Hall, Chelmsford, at which two hundred guests were present, 

 the chair being taken by Mr. Thomas William Bramston. 

 The speech in which Mr. Bramston presented the testi- 

 monial, and the reply of Mr. Conyers, are worth quoting : 



The Chairman said : If I felt that the success of the 

 toast which it is now my duty to offer to you depended 

 in any degree on the manner in which I might be enabled 

 to introduce it, I should be dismayed by the difficulty of 

 the position I occupy. But when I look round me on the 

 guests who are assembled at these tables — when I observe 

 the bright look of animation which beams on every coun- 

 tenance in anticipation of the sentiment which you all know 

 is about to be proposed, I feel I need have no difficulty in 

 at once submitting to your notice the toast I have before 

 me, which is no other than the " Health of our guest of 

 the evening, Mr. Conyers." Gentlemen, the manner in 

 which you have received that name shows me that I formed 

 no incorrect idea of the estimation in which you hold the 



