232 The First Two Country Meetings of the 
could only be purchased at Cambridge. The Cambridge Adver- 
tiser described the structural arrangements of the pavilion 
in great detail, and a lithograph was afterwards published 
showing the disposition of the tables. 1 
The dinner began at four o’clock, a trumpeter stationed 
behind the President’s chair proclaiming silence by sound of 
trumpet. Grace having been sung by choristers of the Uni- 
versity, the 2,650 guests sat down to the following bill of fare : 
“ 56 lambs, 600 fowls, 100 hams, 100 tongues, 100 raised pies, 
100 pigeon pies, 550 fruit tarts, 120 pieces of roast beef, 120 
pieces of boiled beef, 120 pieces of roast veal, 500 salads, and 
500 dishes of hot potatoes.” “ The appearance of the hall at 
the commencement of the repast was,” says the reporter, “ ani- 
mating beyond description, the ladies’ gallery forming not the 
least interesting part.” 
There was a very long list of toasts, and the after-dinner 
proceedings appear to have been most enthusiastic. Sir Robert 
Peel especially met with a great ovation. On the Chair- 
man calling on Sir Robert to propose the toast “ Success to 
the Royal Agricultural Society,” “the most deafening accla- 
mations arose, which lasted for at least five minutes, after 
which the rallying cry of ‘ one cheer more ’ was responded 
to with immense vehemence. The hon. baronet was about to 
address the company from the position he occupied on the floor 
(the Duke of Richmond having previously stood upon a chair in 
announcing the toasts), when there was a general call of ‘ for- 
ward,’ ‘ stand up.’ After a short lapse, during which the call 
of ‘ forward ’ became general, Sir Robert, stepping across the 
table, appeared in front of the platform and was received with 
the utmost applause.” The Duke of Buckingham, Duke of 
Rutland, Marquess of Northampton, Marquess of Downshire, 
Earl Spencer, Earl of Hardwicke, Sir James Graham, Mr. 
Handley, Mr. Philip Pusey (the President-elect), and others, 
also took part in the proceedings. 
As a record of the great event, the Cambridge Advertiser 2 
went to the length of publishing an extraordinary edition, 
containing “ two lithographic drawings of the cattle yard and the 
great dining hall, which we hope our readers will receive as a 
welcome and pleasing memorial of the events the anticipation 
of which, for some time past, has occupied the attention of the 
agriculturists of Great Britain, we might say of Europe, and which 
has brought together into this town not less than 30,000 
1 A copy of this has recently come into the possession of the Society. 
2 For the loan of a copy of this paper, I am indebted to the kindness of 
the present Mayor of Cambridge, Mr. E. H. Parker, J.P. 
