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and dinner on Wednesday next. But the engagement, of whicli I fore- 

 warned you some weeks ago, is imperative and inexorable, and it involves 

 an absence from the State on Tuesday and Wednesday both. Supposing 

 that your festival was on Thursday, I had cherished the hope of attending 

 it, until a late moment. I can only now beg you to offer my apologies 

 wherever they may be needed, and to accept for yourself the assurance of 

 my sincere sorrow at such a conflict of duties. 



I have too of"ten, my dear Sir, had the privilege of being present at festi- 

 vals, both Agricultural and Horticultural, under your Presidency, not to be 

 sensible that the loss is wholly my own. I remember particularly the rich 

 treat I was permitted to enjoy as an humble guest at the very first Norfolk 

 Show — when you were surrounded by the Websters and Everetts, and Lin- 

 colns and Dearborns, and Adamses and Manns, who made that occasion 

 more memorable as an intellectual exhibition, than it was even for its strik- 

 ing specimens of the animal and vegetable kingdom. Some of these noble 

 voices have been silenced forever ; but you have a peculiar art of summon- 

 ing to your side those who can say " a word in season," and no dessert at 

 which you preside ever fails to be furnished with " apples of gold set in 

 pictures of silver." 



Meantime the great staples of such an occasion, the cattle and the corn, 

 the fruits of the field and of the garden, the products of the dairy, and better 

 than either, the honest yeomanry to whom we are indebted for them all — 

 will be sure to be on hand ; and nobody will miss the holiday rhetoric of so 

 mere an amateur as myself. Yet I have a deep interest in the success of 

 Agriculture, and more especially of Norfolk Agriculture ; and, were I able 

 to be present on this occasion, I should watch for the performance of a cer- 

 tain Michigan plough, with my good friend and excellent farmer Robinson 

 for its driver, with something of personal concern. But I am for " speed- 

 ing the plough," by whomsoever it is driven, and will not, therefore, detain 

 you longer than to subscribe myself. 



Respectfully and faithfully, your friend and servant, 



ROCEKT C. WiNTHROP. 

 Hon. M. P. Wilder, President Norfolk Society. 



P. S. Pardon me for playing on your name in the following sentiment : 



The Agriculture and Horticulture of Norfolk County — They have pre- 

 sented for many years past this striking paradox : that the higher and more 

 successful the cultivation, the more every just observer has been compelled 

 to exclaim, " Wilder, and Wilder ! " 



The next regular sentiment was in compliment to Mr. Charles 

 L. Flint, the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, to -which he 

 responded in an appropriate and interesting manner. 



The President then gave as a sentiment : 



The Venerable Farmer of Quincy — Once more we bid him wel- 

 come, as the eldest and most honored member of our Society. His name 



