The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-09-29 00:00:00

Eathsbirt.

HARVEST HOME AT WILTON HOUSE.

On Tuesday, the tenantry and labourers on the
Pembroke Estate sasembled at Wilton House to
celebrate their annual harvest borne. Since the
return of Lady Herbert from the Coutinent she has,
weare happy to say, appeared in public on several
occasions, and ham dispensed that charity among the
inhabitants of the district as was her want during
the lily time of the late Lord Herbert. The beau.
tilul grounds surrounding the mansion have also
been thrown open several times since her return,
and on Wednesday she gave the school children of
the parish their treat, and not only personally
waited upon them, but joined with them in their
amusements. Tuesday was appointed for the cele-
bration of the harvest home, and great have been the
preparations at Vi ilton House to render the day one
of enjoyment to all. Lady Herbert has personally
superintended the whole of the arrangements,
end under auch management it is needless to
say that everything was done that could add to the
comfort of the guests. The tenants with their
employers met at the mansion shortly after two
o'clock, and a procession having been formed, they
marched, accompanied by Lady Herbert, eho was
supported by the yonug Earl of Pembroke, to
Wilton Church, the baud of the Wilton Rifle Corps
leading the way. The borough bend was also
engaged, and marched at the head of the inhabitants
of Wilton, led by Mr. Yates. The church, which is
of great magnificence, on this tocaai-n looked
enchanting. The noble columns supporting the
edifice were entwined with flowers and evergreens,
and miniature sheaves of corn were pieced at various
portions of the building. The sermon was to have
been preached by the Very Rev. Dr. Hook, the
Dean of Chichester; but owing to his having met
with an accident he was innapaciated from fulfilling
his appointment. The it.,. Prebeudaxy Chertuside,
the vicar of the parish, 'accordingly officiated, and
preached a very eloquent sermon fr.= the
third chapter of the Ist Epistle to the Corin-
thians, and a pact of the ninth verse.
"We are labourers together with God."
We regi et that in c•iusequence of the non-arrival of
our reporter we are unable to do it justice. We
were informed, however, that the general plan of it
consisted of a masterly justaposition of the two
apparently contradicting truths, that the harvest is
the work of Gud, and that the harvest is the work of
man,—followed by the reoonoilation of the two
under the guidance of the text. "We are labourers
together with God." Those who are acquainted
with the peculiar gifts of Mr. Chermaide as a
preacher, will have no difficulty in imagining how
eloquently and impressively he treated his sutjece
Those parts of his sermon especially in which he
painted the varied labours of the fluid, and the
gradual growth of the fruit, of the earth beneath
than, must have come home to many who listened
to him. He concluded by setting forth to his hearers
that dignity of those daily advocates in which he
had shown them that they were indeed fellow
labourers with God, and by urging them to act in
those labours always an under the influence
of that thought. A collection was made at
the close of the service, and the procession,
having reformed in front of the church,
returned to Wilton Home, where a sumptuous
repast was provided for them in the Riding School.
This building is admirably adapted for such a
pose, it being sufficiently large to dine upwards of
500, and that without inconvenience. On this occasion
there were upwards of 350 persona partook of her
ladyship's hospitality. The school was very taste-
fully decorated, and it appeared as if it was one
massive bower. The roof was covered with ever-
greens, and flags bearing loyal and other mottoes
were suspended at various points. Arches of ever•
greens spanned the building, and gave it a very
pleasing effect. At the head of the bower the
Pembroke arms had been fixed, supported by flags,
and family crests. Underneath was a *tar of flowers,
and just below in gold letters, surmounted by flowers,
was the text "In everything give thanks." On either
side was written "Thou visiteet the earth and
blessest it, thou makest it very plenteous. The
Tallies also shall stand so thick with corn that they
shall laugh and sing." On each side of the school
flowery and evergreens were in great profusion,
interpersed with the following mottoes. "The
harvest is not of the world, and the reapers
are the angels." "While the earth retuaineth
geed time and harvest shall not cease."
"Thou crownest the earth with thy goodneaa, and
the clouds drop fatnesa" "When he reap the
harvest bring a sheaf of the first fruits unto the
Lord." At the end of the building was the text,
with a border of evergreens "He gave us nag from
heaven, and fruitful masons, filling our hearts with
food and gladness." Opposite the d.ser an orchestra
had been erected for the members of the Rifle
=Sand, and this was also similarly decked
flowers, kn. The room looked 'drainage, the
trails being soereely vinbis. If the building

was thus cared for, those that attended were
similarly regarded. The tables literally
groautri with • hat had been provided. Lady
Herbert, Eirl Peuibroke, and • distinguished
company of ladies and gentlemen now iisidng the
mansion, waited upon the guests., who could not fail
to enjoy themselves. Lady Herbert was most
assiduous in her endeavours to make them comfort-
able, and darted hither and thither to see that they
ws.e all supplied, and if not assisting them herself.
Mr. Robson, the steward, also rendered great assist-
ance, and was unremitting in his attention to the
wants of the guests. It will be long ere this harvest
borne will be forgotten by the guests who appeared
so b•onable to express their gratitude for the kind-
ness they had received. At the conclusion of the
repast,
Rev. Prebendary CHRinisIDE said he had been
desired by Luly Herbert to begin that part of the
entertainment by proposing the toast which always
stood grit among every assembly of Englishmen.
He gave from his heart "The health of the Queen."
(Three times three)
Choir :—God save the Queen.
Mr. ClllllllslDl Mid a young orator wished to
propose the nest toast.
The Hon. MICIIAIL HENRY lICREERT, the
youngest son,then asked them to drink "The health
of the Prince and Princess of Wales," • ith three times
three.

Choir :—God bless the Prince of Wales.
Mr. CHENIISIDI then said the true charecter of a
harvest festival carried with it, be thought,both the
abundance and fullness of thanksgiving,and likewise
a long glad foreseeing hope, and the toast which he
had to propose to them, and the very few words in
which the feelings of hie heart would allow him to
do so, combined in itself that double character.
There could be scarcely one amongst those who
heard him who had not abundant reason to thank
in many ways--and be had no doubt that they did
so iu terms which they found it hard to express in
the secret of their hearts—that noble lady,not merely
as the founder and mistress of that feast, hut who
had been ever since she had been amongst them the
most tender, the most foreseeing, the most prudent,
the most kind and mood indefatigable of friends.
(Loud Cheers.) And when he thought of the long
foresighted hope of future blessings, be was re-
minded of them whoa he saw bawd° Le the ',meg
hope of that ancient and honourable house. (Loud
cheers) At least they saw the green blades that
had sprung up there from the sheaf of the noblest
and choicest of corn, which the sickle of God by the
band of the reaper—Death —had already gathered into
, his barn. This would understand that he gave "The
healthof Lady Herbert, with which he would couple
that of the Earl of Pembroke," and if in days to come
he should succeed in 'watering among them, not
simply the blessings which they had now en-
joyed, and which that house hail ever been the dis-
penser, but those which would touch a chord in
their hearts that would vibrate too keen to be ex-
pressed similar to that which animated them when
they spoke of his noble father, thee indeed those
that came after would like them in the hillier of
enjoyment cheer and cheer again, not only the name
of his mother but also that of Earl Pembroke. (Loud
cheers.) He owed them an apology for eaNing so
little on such a theme as that, but he knew they
would understand how true it was that he was
utterly incapable of saying more. (Loud and long
continued cheering.)
Choir :—Harvest Home.
Earl PILIIIIIROICII, on rising, was received with
vociferous cheering. He said I flack you very
much for the kind way in which you have drunk my
health, and that of my mother, Lady Herbert. Mr.
Chermside has said all I could have wished him to
have said about my mother, and all I can say for
myself is, that I hope I shall grow up to be to you
like my father was, to that when I come to die I
may like him be able to say, "I have tried to do
my best." (Prolonged cheering.)
Rear-Admiral Growss asked leave to propose •
toast which he was sure would be drunk very
readily. It was "The Health of Mr. Robson," the
faithful and honourable manager of the Pembroke
Estate.; the friend of the poor man, and honoured
by the rich. Long life to him.
Lady HERSZAT called for three cheers for Mr.
Robson.

Mr. ROBSON said Admiral Gowen had placed him
in a very honourable position. He came before
them not at all prepared to give them • set speech,
and he was only sorry that he could not cypress him-
self as he felt. He stood before them almost to give
an account of his stew trdship, and he could only
say that the duties he had to perform were most
pleasant, and he would endeavour to enumerate
them. He had merely to act according to the in-
structions received from his superiors. He acted
only as the shadow ; but for those blessings they
enjoyed they must look elsewhere. First, he
would only call to their memory the silent
appeal Lady Herbert made to their hearts on such
occasions as those. (Applause.) None could have
failed to have observed her at the church, but none
could have peen 'kith what silence she bad breathed
her wishes for • blessing upon her people. She had
given her best, she had caused that church to be
ornamented, and she had expressed in those seta far
more than any words of his °paid convey, and he
would not intrude upon her feelings by attempting
to describe them. How had she expressed herself
towards the guests of the day. Let them look at
the decorations of the room, and see what a vast
amount of labour had been spent upon it. Her
fingers had been employed in making thosenumerous
devices. She could not express it in word, but she
bad done so in her actions. To no one could she do
more honour, for no persons had she higher feelings
than the guests there that evening. He Gould only
say that he found her everywhere the same. He
had only to do, but he was prompted to do more
good than he could achieve, and he was only sorry
that his actions fell so short of her wishes. She was
extremely anxious that all her tenants werecomfort-
able, and that be should not wrong them in any way.
la whatever department he found that her only wish
was todo justice to every one. He would, before he sat
down,propose "The Health of the Bishop and Clergy
of the diocese—with which he would couple the
name of the flew. Prebendary Chermaide, the vicar
of the pari.h." It would be perfectly useless for him
to attempt to describe that beautiful sermon which
he had delivered that morning, but it reminded hint
of that expression. "The evening and the morning
star sang together," and he fanoed they dropped
their honey due at Wilton. He concluded by pro-
posing the toast.
Three cheers were called for by Earl Pembroke.
Mr. ClllllMSlDlOlreplying,said he should be very
sorry to give offence to any one,and especially to the
last speaker, Mr. Robson. He should be very sorry
to compare that admirable and interesting address
with anything that was disagreeable and creepy, or
crawly. We was reminded that the sting of that
creepy crawly thing, the scorpion, was in it. tail,and
the sting of Mr. Robson's, address was at the tail.
(Laughter.) He admired it until near the end, but
he thought it was unkind on the part of Mr.
Robison to compel him to return thanks. He
always felt for those that had ti return thanks when
he noticed how awkward and uncomfortable they
appealed from the time of the delivery of the meat,
until the moment they returned thauks. No person
felt this embarrassment more thandid • clergyman, for
they were aware that in the discharge of their duties
they were continually failing. Seriously and
heartily he cou Id not re (rain from laying that there was
something especially painful to a clergyman to rise
to return thanks for himself. There was an old
maxim which every one ought to act no to, and that
was this: Let them treat a man as if he had acted
as he ought to have done, and the ramie would be
that that treatment would go a long way towards
making him deserving of it. In conclusion Mr.
Chermside said: 1.)o for me as you always have done;
treat me utterly beyond my deservinge, and by the
grace of God I may do something to deserve it a little
m (Loud applause.)
The Hon. Mr. Mg•nr, son of the Earl of Clan.
said: Lady Herbert had desired him to say
that Mr. Hobson was much too modest in what he
had said, and that she c.ulil not do as she had done
were it not for his assistance, that he faithfully ful-
filled his trost,and that in a very honourable manner.
Her Ladyship was glad to see them there, and she
hoped that any other year it mii,ht be repeated with
similar success, and perhaps a little more so. (Loud
cheers.)