416 MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



would do well. But such toast is not necessary ; for the names 

 might be merely mentioned, and the thanks carried by acclamation. 

 So with all others. These toasts might be set down and assigned, 

 and given as circumstances may permit. 



" I shall write to Ballantine to that effect, subject to any altera- 

 tions ; and there is no need to print the toasts, etc., tunes, etc., till all 

 is fixed, a few days before the 6th ; vice-chairman, stewards, etc., as 

 no man of course would, on such an occasion, speak of himself, the 

 place assigned him, whatever that may be, speaking for itself. 



" Finally, we propose ' The Provost and Magistrates of Ayr and 

 other Burghs,' and ' The Ladies,' of course, with shouts of love and 

 delight. And so finis." 



"to* 



The next letter is from Sergeant Talfourd,* whom he had invited 

 to join the meeting at Ayr : — 



"Oxford, July 14, 1844. 



"My dear Sir: — Your very kind letter respecting the festival 

 on the banks of the Doon has reached me at this city, where I am 

 on the circuit ; and if it were possible for me to meet the wish it so 

 cordially expresses, I should at once recall the answer I felt com- 

 pelled to give to the invitation of the committee, and look forward 

 with delight to sharing in the enjoyments of the time. When, 

 however, I tell you the sad truth, that on the 6th August we {i.e., 

 the Circuit) shall be at Shrewsbury, and on the 7th shall turn south- 

 ward to Hereford, so that it will be impossible for me to be in Scot- 

 land on the 6th by the utmost exertion, and all the aid of steamboats 

 and railways, without entirely absenting myself from both the 

 Shrewsbury and the Hereford Assizes, and causing serious incon- 

 venience to many, besides the loss to myself, I am sure you will 

 sympathize -with the conviction I have reluctantly adopted, that I 

 cannot be with you at your most interesting meeting. Our long 

 circuit, which is this year somewhat later than usual, in consequence 

 of the Irish Writ of Error, will not close before the 22d or 23d 

 August, w T hen I hope to take my family to the country you know 

 so well in the neighborhood of Windermere, where Mr. Words- 

 worth has taken a cottage for us for the holidays. If your festival 

 had, happily for me, occurred while I was there at liberty, I should 

 have embraced, with pleasure I cannot express, the opportunity of 



* Sir Thomas Noon Talfourd died in the discharge of bis orofessional duties at tie Assizes, 1S54. 



