360 AGRICULTURE AND THE HORSE. 



the subject before them. But no one moved; and at last 

 he arose, and brought his solid and healthy form, and 

 manly countenance, and rich, deep voice, with which 

 he had been wont to inspire with their utmost strength 

 his laboring animals, to bear upon what was to him a 

 familiar and favorite topic. He spoke substantially as 

 follows : — 



MR. JOHN Osgood's speech. 



(Revised and torltten out by the Chairman.) 



Mr. Chairman^ — I did not suppose, when I entered 

 this room, that we should be called upon to express 

 our opinions on any matter touching the welfare of the 

 Agricultural Society just now formed, or upon any 

 special object connected with that society. I came 

 here to rest and chat, and look around, and become 

 intimate with my associates. I never like to unite with 

 any man in a common enterprise until I know him ; 

 and I never can know a man until we have both laid 

 aside the restraint of business, and sat down in our 

 moral and intellectual shirt-sleeves to see and be seen, 

 to hear and be heard, just as we are. If there is a mean 

 or a soft spot in a man, you may be sure it will come 

 out when he has nothing special to do, and nothing 

 special to say, and no reason to be on his guard. If you 

 want to find out whether a horse is unsound, let him 

 alone. 



But we have gone beyond the pleasure and the ob- 

 servation of private intercourse, and have been led by 



