308 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1872 



will enable me to make myself heard by all present in 

 the field, but I hope it will be strong enough. It will 

 not be necessary for me to recall the reason why we have 

 assembled here to-day, but I may be permitted to say, at 

 the outset, that I am rather sorry that some older or more 

 active member of the Hunt than myself has not been 

 chosen to discharge the duty which has been given to me 

 on this occasion ; for, although I hunted formerly, I have 

 not been a hunting man for several years past. This 

 duty is one which, happily for us all, we have seldom, I 

 may say we have never, before been called upon to dis- 

 charge. (Hear, hear.) We can all remember the painful 

 feelings of melancholy and regret which characterized our 

 meeting upon a former occasion, when so old a connection 

 was severed, and when memories of the past, which are 

 still cherished by every member of the Hunt, were re- 

 called. Well, we are now again about to sever our con- 

 nection with one who has served his master well and 

 faithfully for more than half a century. (Hear, hear.) 

 He has not only served his master, but he has served the 

 hunt as faithfully. (Hear, hear.) Not only is Tom Leed- 

 ham a thorough good huntsman, but he is a successful 

 breeder and rearer of hounds, and in these two capacities 

 he is certainly without a rival. (Hear, hear.) But he is 

 far more than this. As an upright and honest man, he has 

 earned the respect of all those who have been associated 

 with him, and I am sure that all those who have hunted 

 with him in this country or elsewhere will bear unani- 

 mous testimony to the admirable way in which he has 

 always discharged every portion of his responsible and 

 onerous duties. (Hear, hear.) As I said before, it is 

 some years since I hunted, but ray own experience during 

 the time when I was an active member of the Hunt en- 

 -ables me to say that never have I seen a huntsman who 

 could handle his hounds better than Tom Leedham." 

 (Cheers.) His lordship turned to Old Tom as he said 

 these words, and continued — " Thomas Leedham, it is 

 now my pleasing duty to announce to you that it is the 



