58 BE AV FORT HUNT: PAST AND PRESENT. 



to the Marquis of Worcester, on his marriage, by the members ot 

 the Beaufort Hunt and other friends hunting with the duke's hounds. 

 October 9th, 1895." Among those who gathered to meet the 

 Marquis at the Assembly-room of the White Hart Hotel were Colonel, 

 Mrs., and the Misses Henry, General Hale, General Burn, Mr. G. 

 Sotheron Estcourt, Mr. Erskine Pollock, Q.C., and Mrs. Pollock, 

 Colonel Gist, Colonel Hoole, Mr. Lowsley Williams, Mr. A. C. Mitchell, 

 Mr. T. H. Cardwell, Mr. D. Lindsay, Major Little, Mr. A. M. Wilson, 

 Mr. Darling, Mr. A. Playne, Mr. W. Playne, Mr. S. Playne, Mrs. 

 Raymond Barker, Messrs. Boustead, A. Dunsford, J. Garlick, C. 

 Eich, W. T. Drew, H. Fry, Clarke (Didmarton), C. Hamblm, etc. 



General Eobert Hale, in making the presentation, said : Lord 

 Worcester, — I have been requested by Sir Nigel Kingscote to express 

 his great regret that he is unable to be present here to-day. The 

 short notice and his engagement in London make it quite impossible 

 for him to come down, otherwise I am sure Sir Nigel would have 

 been very pleased to have stood in my position to-day. The task 

 that has been entrusted to me is a very pleasant one, and I presume 

 that one of the reasons whj' I have been asked to undertake it is 

 the fact that it is now more than 40 years since I put on my first 

 blue and buff coat, and therefore I am able to testify from my own 

 personal experience to the sport that has been shown for so many 

 years in this county by the liberality of your noble father and by 

 yourself. (Cheers.) In asking you to accept as a wedding present 

 this admirable portrait of 3'ourself, which I hope may be considered 

 a good likeness, painted as it has been by one of the most eminent, 

 if not the most eminent portrait painter of the present day, Professor 

 Herkomer, I should wish, on behalf of the subscribers, who are 

 ladies and gentlemen in the habit of hunting with the Badminton 

 Hounds, to convey an assurance of the good will that they feel towards 

 you and towards your house — (cheers) — and to offer their sincere 

 congratulations on your marriage, and their heartfelt good wishes 

 that health, happiness, and prosperity may attend Lady Worcester 

 and your self through life. (Cheers.) We hope you may be long 

 spared to dwell among your neighbours, and to preserve those tra- 

 ditions which have made Beaufort and Worcester and Badminton 

 household words throughout the country. (Cheers.) You have, I 

 beheve, received a list of the names of the subscribers, and from that 

 you will see that the expression of good feeling which the gift repre- 

 sents is not confined to one section of the community, but that it 

 conveys a sentiment which is universal. (Cheers.) It now only 

 remains for me, in their names, to hand over this picture to your 

 keeping. (Cheers.) 



Lord Worcester, in reply, said : General Hale, ladies and gentle- 

 men, — I can only say I am very much obliged to you for so kindly 

 giving me this picture, which I shall value very much, and I hope it 

 will be handed down for many years to hang at Badminton, and. 



