8 The Foundation of the Royal Agricultural Society. 
Earl Spencer was called upon to occupy the chair, on the 
motion of the Duke of Richmond, and told his plain unvarnished 
tale without any attempt at rhetorical display, simply attri- 
buting the honour of his position to " the knowledge he pos- 
sessed of the subject, the wish he had to form the Society, and 
the steps he had taken for the purpose." He said that no one 
who looked about him amongst English farms could fail to see 
that there was room for great improvement, and a necessity for 
the diffusion of agricultural knowledge. By establishing a 
great and powerful Society, combining science with practice, and 
including amongst its members persons from east, west, north, 
and south, this knowledge might be diffused throughout the 
kingdom, and it was scarcely necessary to advance argu- 
ments to prove that the establishment of such a Society was 
desirable. In order to be really powerful in funds and influence, 
it was necessary for men of all parties to act together, and 
to accomplish this politics must of necessity be excluded. 
They had, therefore, suggested as a fundamental rule that 
nothing should be discussed at their meetings which should 
refer to any matter to be brought forward or pending in Par- 
liament. 
When the cheering with which this announcement was 
received had subsided, the noble Earl referred to a meeting 
of farmers held on the previous night at the (Jreen Dragon, 
Bishopsgate Street, at which a resolution was passed declaring 
the proposed Society to be " delusive in principle, having a 
tendency to mislead the farmers of England and betray the 
interests of English agriculture, in so far as the principle of 
legislative protection to agriculture is disavowed in the funda- 
mental resolutions," and boldly met this objection by stating 
that they did nothing of the kind, but claimed their right as 
Englishmen to form any Society they pleased, so long as it was 
legal and they thought they were doing good. » 
The Duke of Richmond, who followed, laid additional stress 
on the political neutrality at which they aimed, pointed in justi- 
fication of their course to the success attained by the Highland 
Society, and concluded by moving the first resolution : — 
"That it is 1 he opinion of this meeting that a Society be established for 
the improvement of floriculture in England and Wales, and that it be called 
' The English Agricultural Society.' " 
This was seconded by Mr. Handley, who dwelt at some 
length on the objects to be attained by the application of 
science to agriculture ; but before it was put from the chair, a 
Mr. Bell interposed, with an amendment affirming that the 
Society was " delusive in principle," whereupon great confusion 
