122 A Walk from 



like the voluntary and unexpected abdication of an 

 Alexander, still able to add to his conquests and 

 trophies. All present felt this; and several tried to 

 express it at the old table now spread for the last 

 time for such guests. But his inherent and invincible 

 modesty waived aside or intercepted the compliments 

 that came from so many lips. With a kind of 

 ingenious delicacy, which one of the finest of human 

 sentiments could only inspire, he contrived to divert 

 attention or reference to himself and his life's labors. 

 But he could not make the company forget them, 

 even if he gently checked allusion to them. 



The company on this interesting occasion was very 

 large, about 1000 persons having sat down to the 

 collation. Not only were the principal nobility and 

 gentry of Great Britain interested in agricultural 

 pursuits present in large number, but the representa- 

 tives of nearly every other country in Christendom. 

 Several gentlemen from the United States were among 

 the purchasers. The total number of sheep sold was 

 969, which fetched under the hammer the great aggre- 

 gate of 10,926, or more than 54,000 dollars. The 

 most splendid ram in the flock went to the United 

 States, being knocked down to Mr. J. C. Taylor, of 

 Holmdale, New Jersey ; who is doing so much to 

 Americanise the Southdowns. Others went to the 



