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The  late  Lord  Vernon. 
On  belialf  of  tbe  Derbyshire  Agricultural  Society  the  chair- 
man writes — “ During  the  18  years  Lord  \ ernon  had  been  a 
member  of  this  Society  his  energies  were  ever  directed  to  its 
advancement,  and  his  great  practical  knowledge,  coupled  with 
his  clearness  of  judgment  enabled  him  thoroughly  to  appreciate 
the  wants  and  necessities  of  the  farmers.  ...  In  all  questions 
arising:  between  landlord  and  tenant  his  manner  was  always  so 
courteous,  and  his  judgment  so  dispassionate,  that  his  decision 
was  accepted  not  only  without  a murmur,  but  with  gratitude.” 
A well-known  Queen’s  Counsel  writes  to  a legal  friend  of 
the  family — “ His  loss  will  be  greatly  and  widely  felt,  and  in 
the  Midland  counties  no  one  can  well  fill  the  vacancy  his  un- 
timely death  will  cause.” 
“ What  I look  back  to  with  most  pleasure  is  the  evenness  of 
his  disposition  and  the  patience  and  fairness  of  his  judgment.” 
This  paragraph  from  the  letter  of  a well-known  statesman  gives 
a singularly  true  description  of  his  well-balanced  and  conscien- 
tious mind,  and  of  the  feelings  of  confidence  and  affection  that 
any  intercourse  with  him  produced — feelings  which  are  well 
illustrated  in  two  letters  of  sympathy,  written,  the  one  on  behalf 
of  his  old  tenantry  in  Northumberland,  the  other  by  one  of 
his  fellow-workers  on  the  Seed  Fund.  The  first  says— “ Rest 
assured  that  the  love  and  respect  we  all  cherished  for  Lord 
Vernon  and  the  family  will  never  be  effaced,  and  though  con- 
nections which  once  existed  are  now  severed,  yet  the  recollection 
of  his  Lordship’s  ever  kindly  interest  in  us,  and  anxiety  for  our 
welfare,  are  too  vivid  to  be  easily  erased  from  our  memory.” 
The  second  says — “ Having  been  associated  with  him  in  the 
distribution  of  the  French  Peasant  Farmers’  Seed  Fund  in  1871, 
and  of  the  Inundation  Fund  in  1875,  I have  never  worked  with 
or  under  any  man  who  more  thoroughly  won  and  preserved  the 
sympathy  and  affection  of  his  subordinates.” 
At  a meeting  of  the  Council  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society 
on  May  2nd,  the  Duke  of  Richmond,  as  President,  on  taking 
the  chair  said  : “ Before  proceeding  to  the  ordinary  business 
of  the  Council,  I must  call  your  attention  for  a moment  to  one 
of  the  saddest  calamities  that  it  has  been  my  misfortune  to  hear 
of ; that  is,  the  very  sudden  death  of  our  dear  lamented  friend, 
Lord  Vernon.  I am  sure  that  all  of  us  who  have  worked  with 
him  on  this  Council  appreciated  his  great  virtue,  his  good  habits 
of  business,  and  his  courtesy  of  demeanour  on  all  occasions  ; and 
I can  assure  you  that  I feel  his  loss  more  acutely,  perhaps,  than 
many  others,  because  for  three  years  I sat  with  him  in  constant 
consultation  on  the  Royal  Agricultural  Commission,  and  upon 
all  occasions  on  that  Commission  I had  the  greatest  possible 
assistance  from  him,  the  most  loyal  consideration  for  every- 
