The Third Earl Spender. 
149 
couragement of associations connected therewith, and especially 
of the Royal Agricultural Society. 
" The Royal " was not, however, the first society to enjoy 
the great advantage of his guidance and support. He was one 
of the founders of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society ; and in 
1825, when the Smithfield Club had been for three or four years 
without a head, and seemed to be on the point of dissolution. 
Lord Spencer consented to become its president, and set himself 
to retrieve its fortunes, with such success that in 18ol a splendid 
candelabrum of the value of 200 guineas was presented to him, 
in testimony of " his valuable services in raising the Association 
to its present eminence." It was, indeed, at the annual dinner 
of the Smithfield Club, of which he remained president till his 
death, that on December 11, 1837, he first publicly mooted his 
project for establishing the society known at first as the English 
Agricultural Society. Sir Brandreth Gibbs states, in his " History 
of the Smithfield Club," that three days earlier Mr. Wm. Shaw, 
who afterwards became the first secretary to the Society, met 
Lord Spencer and Mr. Humphrey Gibbs, Honorary Secretaiy to 
the Club, in the Club-parlour in Goswell Street, and that it was 
then determined to bring the matter forward at the dinner, if 
the co-operation of the Duke of Richmond could be obtained. 
This was readily promised ; for though his Grace and Lord 
Spencer were opposed in politics, they were of one mind in 
everything that concerned agriculture, and it was afterwards (as 
Mr. Grey of Dilston observed in one of his letters) a cheering 
sight to see them walking in to dinner together at the annual 
meetings. 
The time and place selected for Earl Spencer's public 
announcement of his scheme were as felicitous as its exponent 
was influential, and his lordship's proposal was received with 
acclamation by one of the largest assemblages ever seen at the 
Smithfield Club dinner. The Duke of Richmond was prompt 
in his support, and was followed by Mr. Handley and several 
others, so unhesitating in their concurrence that success was 
well-nigh assured. A voluminous correspondence ensued between 
Lord Spencer and his friends, in which the Duke of Richmond, 
the present Earl Grey, Mr. Philip Pusey, M.P., Mr. Handley, 
M.P., Mr. John Grey of Dilston, and others, took part. The last- 
named spoke, years afterwards, of " the bulky correspondence " 
he had had with Lord Spencer and others on the subject ; but, 
unfortunately, this correspondence was subsequently destroyed. 
The time was ripe for the formation of an institution for the 
general advancement of agriculture, which had not received 
the national attention which it deserved, and many able, good 
