42 
DINNER TO MR. EDWARD STANLEY. 
Mr Ilarman said the toast which he had to submit included 
almost every gentleman in the neighbourhood not then 
present ; and he was sure there was not one amongst them 
who knew Mr. Stanley would lose that opportunity of testi- 
fying their regard for, and high esteem of, his public and 
private character, and their great regret at his leaving this 
neighbourhood. “ The absent gentlemen who signed the 
testimonial.” (Cheers.) 
Mr. IF. Cowper , in brief approving terms, gave “Mr. Rose, 
and the other members of Mr. Stanley’s family now present.” 
(Three times three.) 
Mr. Rose (Mr. Stanley’s father-in-law), and Mr. W . 
Stanley (brother to Mr. Stanley), severally acknowledged the 
compliment. 
Mr. Potts said — He was called upon to propose the next 
toast, and he did so with great satisfaction, alloyed only by 
one little regret — that he was not practically acquainted with 
agriculture, and could not therefore speak of it with that 
knowledge either as to its theory or practice, which in strict- 
ness ought to be possessed by one who undertook to say 
anything on such a subject. However, when he remembered 
that they lived in one of the richest and best cultivated 
districts of England ; when he saw before him a large body 
of respectable, talented, and spirited agriculturists ; and when 
he saw there also a great many of his fellow r townsmen whose 
prosperity in life mainly depended upon agriculture, he 
believed he might very properly call upon them to drink 
success to agriculture. (Cheers.) People were very much 
accustomed to regard things according to their antiquity and 
their usefulness. There was no pursuit older or more useful 
than agriculture; and upon it they literally depended for 
their daily bread. It also greatly promoted hospitality, for 
nowhere would a man find a warmer welcome than he would 
find at the fireside of an English farmer. It must be a source 
of gratification to every one that the prospects of agriculture 
were so much better now than they w 7 ere a short time ago ; 
and he was sure, that those who were present, and every man 
out of that room of whom he had any knowledge, wished, 
not only that the material sun might cast its rays upon their 
fields and bring to maturity the fruits of the earth ; but that 
the metaphorical “sun of posperity” might also shine upon 
them without a cloud crossing its beams. (Cheers.) With 
much satisfaction he gave them “ Prosperity to agriculture.” 
— (Loud cheers). 
Mr. TF. Hadland responded. He was at a loss to know 
why he had been selected to respond to this toast, which had 
