The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1871-07-11 00:00:00

THE COXING OF AGE OF THE EARL OF
PEMBROKE.

This highly interesting event on Thareday was the
occasion of unclad rejoicing amongst all °Lures in
Wilton and the surrounding neighbourhood. There
was a sumptuous banquet provided by Gunter, of
London, at which his lordship entertained the whole
of his tenantry with every delicacy and the choicest
wines. The Earl presided, and on his right sat Lady
Herbert. After the repast,
The noble Canatene rose, and alter being greeted
with loud applause, said :—Ladies and Gentlemen,-14
seems to me that while I have been sway a very
strong fe-liog of Repablicaniars, or what people call
Republicanism, boa sprung up in this country. Of
course, I am too young and too inexperienced to
have any fixed ideas upon such subjects; but I think
I have a right to give expression to my own feelings
and opinions, as long as I do not deem them to be
infallible —(hear). There are a great many people who
are confused in their lie= as to republireasm and
aocialien. They imagine that under • republican form
of government all Glass diatinotionv, which they appear
to bate, will be done away with immediately; bat
having been a good deal abroad, and having lived in
republican zoentries for two or three years. I feel
' compelled to say that I have never seen anything of
the kind—(hear, hear). On the oontrary. I have
always observed that the monied Glasses in such
=entries are quite as aristocratic and quite as overbear-
lag as the upper classes are said to be in our own—
(applause). Nor have I seen in those =entries any in-
ane= in reality owing to the form of government in the
price of labour, or in the relations existing between the
capitalist and the laboarer—(hear, hear). People are
often told that, in countries like Antares, wages are
higher, and the chances of advancement are greater
than in Ragland. In consequence, a great many of
them jump to the conclusion that the ries an must
=mist, • great deal, if not entirely, in the difference
of government. The real fact of the matter, however,
is that one ta • large unpopulated country—l mean
America—while oars is a isomparaively small one, and
thickly crowded with people, many of whom are rather
apt to take it for granted that greater liberty for the
subjects must exist under a republic. It may be true
or a may not, but I may say for myself that I have
never been in • country where there is gres.er liberty
than in Eogland—(crest applause). I have seen another
thing, which those who have not been in republican
countries cannot know, that the tyranny of the rani arity
over the minority is as jest as oppressive as the tyranny
of the few is said to be over the many in this country
—(hear, hear). You will, no doubt, wonder why I
am saying all this about republicanism. It is because
it seems to me (of course, having been sway, my
knowledge la derived only from the newspapers) that
the idelas to which I have alluded have produced—let
U 2 hope only amongst a small class of liuglishmen—
(hear, bear)—a feeling of disloyalty to the Crown. I
am going to propose the health of the Queen—(loud
cheers)—and while we drink the tout, let as honestly
and earnestly hope that it may be the first proposed at
every public convivial meeting of !Englishmen, not only
during our owe lives, but for many yews longer. (The
toast was received with "Three times three," followed
by the National Anthem.")
Mr. J. RAWLINCE proposed the health of the "Earl
of Pembroke, in a speech eulogising the family and
wishing his lordship a oonUnnatioe of restored health.
The noble ELUL, on rising to =mesa his aokneerledg-
meets was again loudly applauded. He said: ladies
and Gentlemen,— When I had something else to talk
about besides myself, and the kind feeling you have
shown towards me, I friend it easy enough to spank,
But now, when you refer to things that move me very
much, I ;rally find it • very hard and difficult task. I
can only say that I thank you from the bottom of my
heart for the way in which you have received me, and
for the perfect khaduess with which you have drunk my
health on this mission. At the same time, I cannot
help feeling that I do not at all deserve the kindness
you have shown towards me—(loud odes of "Tee,
yes.") You have, lam sure, done it all in the hope
and trust that I shall never disgrace the great and good
parentage that I have had—(applause.) But on this
day, when you have received me so lankly and so
generously, I want you to think—for I have done
nothing for you as yet: I went you to think of the
people who have done something—l mean my mother
—(great appinuse)—Lord de Void, Mr. A.Court Rep-
piegton, and Mr. Robsou—(reuewed applause.) I
know, and I believe you know too, how much they have
done, and I want everybody who has • new =Wage, a
new farm-house, or • new char= to attend on Sandals,
to think cf them before they go to sleep to-night—
(great applause.) I have been asked to propose the
health of the tenantry, but I cannot help thinking that
I have usurped the place of those to whom I have re-
ferred in doing so, became, I have done so little, and
they have done so much. Upon the tenantry, 12022-
ever, I depend as mach as they do upon me—(opplanse.)
It goes Limiest the grain to speak of the many good
things I want to do, however honestly and intently I
may wish to do them, but I will venture to expiate •
hope that the cordial friendly feeling which seems to
exist between us now will never be diminished by any
not of mine—One= applause.) I beg to give you "The
health of the Tenantry"—(the toast was drunk with
three times three.)
Mr. A, Forcers returned thanks on behalf of the
tenantry, and proposed the health of lady Herbert—
(great cheering.)
Lady il/12131112T herself responded, and on rising was
greeted with loud cheers. She said—Gentlemen and
thank you for the kind things that have been
said about me, and for the kind way in which you have
drunk my health. It has been an immense pleasure to
we for the last ten years whilst I have had the guardian-
ship of this property, to see • marked improvement in
the cultivation of the farms on this great estate,
although I might be tempted to say, as old friends of
oars did not long ago, that you have cultivated the
land so much that you have "Improved every dower
from off the Goo of the ground"—(laughter and bear,
bear). And now I gladly resign my charge into my
boy's hands. lam sure he will merit the affection be
has inherited from his family—(lla Lordship: I don't)
—and I hope that when the day comes when he too
must resigo that trust into the hands of soother he
will be able to say, as his dew lather said on his death.
e_
bed, "I have not dose all I wished. but I have tried
to do my best"—(loud ohaers), In =Delusion her
ladyship proposed "The health of the Mayor and Cor-
poration.
The Maros returned thanks, and other oompllmen.
tau toasts followed.
The banquet ended, and the speeches and cheering
over, the numerous company present promenaded the
leautifel grounds and Sento" tee being afterwards
served in the house.
At nine o'clock there was a large influx of visitors
from Wilke, Salisbury, and the =mending neigh.
boarbood, who heal reosivid invitations to a grand
bell. Before dancing oommenced, the lovely Italian
gardens were illuminated in a most charming manner.
There was a most magnificent display of fireworks,
with • balloon, by Brook, of Crystal Pala= notoriety.
This part of the entertainment was eltogethee a great
testa. the views of the park, gardens, trees, ornamenta
water, and general landscape with all its beauties,
wile., lit up by the brilliantly -coloured light,
emitted from the rockets, &co, beLng lovely in the ex-
treme. The guest. on their krriTar were received and
welcomed by Lady Herbert. Previously to the span.
lag of the ball members of the Orpheus Glee Union
sang a number of glees and part songs with gnat
taste.
The ball communed with • country dense. the Earl
of Pembroke with Miss Rawlenee as a partner leading
off to the inspiriting strains of Teepee' baud from
Southampton. This was followed by quadrilles, lawmen
waltzes, gaols', he., the dousing being kept up mall
after daybreak. The whole of the arrangemeale wee
on the most liberal and msgnldsent scab.
The programme on Friday comprised • seldeediel
dinner to the workmen and lehouren in the employ of
the Earl of Pembroke, in the large marque in front
of the house, at 1 o'clock, followed by dancing oa the
lawn the eiifc of the town sad asighbowshood being
eatelialned in the boom dieing the allsesoma. At
Vele& an ample repas4 in the marques be the aliens
illettles the Noakes' Aimee sett Ade teethook