The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-01-10 00:00:00

BLANDFORD.

EAST Donsvr Hoesna.—These hounds met at
the Down House on Wednesday last The weather
was propitious overlie:el, and, ti gh the ground
was heavy from long-continued rain, never did men,
horses, mid hounds appear better fitted to follow
" where pug should choose to lead." The nume-
rous anti fashionable field assembled was a cheering
sight, and carriages with their fair occupants tended
not a little to beiOten the effect. " Bits- of unex-
ceptionable " pink" grouped or scattered about were
toned down by the more sombre hue of the no less
significant sporting costume of the many who had
assembled to have a gallop with the East Dorset
pack. Sir dohn Smith's plantations anti Little
Wood were drawn blank. Horsemen and hounds
were then marshalled to Broadley Weeil, and here
the welcome " find- note was soon heard, followed
by the not less welcome intelligence that " Reynard"
had " gone away." The direct Wien pointed to the
Vale. Filgroves was 110011 reached, and here pug
doubled back. and after being rattled once more
thosugh Broadley took the sante direction as before,
threaded his way straight through Filgrovea, then
made for liondsley W 1.1.11. No halting was allowed,
anti being sharply pushed he led his pursuers in
capital style through Eicomb suul Excomb Woods,
was driven across the Shillingston turnpike road into
Allen's Wotsl, then skirting the river readiest Hay-
ward Bridge. Here there was no abiding place, ,
and tun iiii g in the direction if Conygar Wood
brushed through this covert and on for Tan Hill,
reaching Ilammoon, the large tield having dwin-
dled down to a few of the most plucky ones.
" Done up" was evidently the order of the day, and
the few " well up" scarcely relished the return
gallop home to which saucy pug now invited them.
Turning about, the direction home was over the
same line of country previously passed. Tan If ill
, reached, the next point was Conygar Wood, then
m tttttt ting the Okeford Hills, Itandsley, Escomb, and
Month Wood were revisited ; driven through theme
coverts this capital fox tel his pursuers on to
Norton Wood, having already given them enough to ,
do for the last four hours. But their work WAS not
yet done, though the gloom of evening was fast ,
ceming on, anti the thinned field was becoming
thinner from gentlemen who had had enough of it
turning their horses' hauls homeward. The hounds
804/11 worked their fox out of Norton's Wood,
driving him back again to Escomb and Eicmnb
woods, and must sewn have pulled him down had
not the deepening shades of evening obliged their '
being called off. There was some capital fencing,
and no mishap of any importance; but the heavy
and hilly character of the c try gone over must
have proved a trying test of the condition and
bottom of both men and cattle at the finish.
M K. GOUGH'S Onarms.—This is the second time
this fatuous num has paid this town a visit, and,
judging from the number anti character of the !Mil.
ence assembled to welcome him on Friday evening,
time has rather increased than diminished his popu-
larity with all classes of the town and neighbour-
hood. The address was delivered in the Corn Ex-
change, anti never is this noble room likely to ap-
pear to greater advantage than it did lighted up with
its effective jets of gas on the occasion referred to.
There must have been five 111111th-ea persons gathered
together, representing the highest and the lowest
status of society ; and though nobility, clergy,
tratiesinen, and agriculturalists, with their wives and
families, were there, the large majority of the audi-
ence was made up of the artisan and labouring
dimes those ifersons most likely to give practical
effect in their future lives to the counsels and warnings
vividly brought before them by Mr. Gough. A
better social assortiuent of influences could not be
gathered together to excite the speaker to use that
effective oratory for which he is noted. The mag-
nates of social influence, ministers of the gospel,
parents who take • little, anti those who take too
much, were all present, prepared to listen and to be
perstuuled ; and it seemed impossible but that these
favourable social elements must have responded—it
may be silently—in conviction and resolution to the
apposite illustrations and forcible conclusions brought
before them. It is true the picture-drawing was
detached, anti the colouring employed occasionally
too vivid—yet never unnatural ; but where the in-
tellectual steam is naturally got up to high-pressure
in an imaginative mind by the felt force of truth
from within, such will always be, more or less, the
case. But an undeniable fact was the basis on which
Mr. Gough reared his attractive and imposing super-
structure, and voice, language, and dramatic attitude
bound round the architectural developments of his
genius the imperishable wreaths of religions, moral,

and social truths. Mr. Cough is about to leave
England for his home on the other bide of the At-
lantic ; and the friends of the great movement he
has prominently pioneered bincehe has been amongst
us, will lose the best and most honest advocate of
their principles. It was, however, gratifying to hear
from him that his astute mind has been employed in
collecting statistics of our benevolent institutions,
and that ho intends telling his countrymen, in his
own glowing language, of England's moral and social
greatness. This reciprocal truth-telling—lately
in-
augurated by Mackay and others—will do more to
cement the friendship between these two great min-
tries, than the wisest policy adopted by statesmen
and diplomatists. With meteoric brilliancy —but not
with meteoric eccentricity and decay—has this man
made his way through our social ranks. He came,
his approach heralded by neither the aristocracy of
rank, wealth, or even intellect; but, panoplied alone
in the armour of truth, he has fought his way to the
topmast rung of the ladder of the noblest ambition ;
and, after scattering with skilful hand the seed
ripened and ripening into fruit around us, he leave*
our shoresswith the rich gratification of knowing that
his name will be reniembered with blessings by some,
and his absence deplored with sincere regret by all.
He lectures for the Temperance League, and the
Society here will have to pay upwards of £l4 to meet
the expense* of his visit ; a small sum for such ser-
vices; still, we are glad to Hod that the takings at
the door were more than sufficient to cover all ex•
penses. Twenty•seven persons pledged themselves
to abstain, wail those, with those previously pledged,
places this Society in the list of the flourishing
ones. J. C. !damsel, Esq., presided, and intro-
duced Mr. Gough to the audience in his usual happy
style. We were glad to see that the boys from the
Reformatory, at Milbonie, were present.

MR. BARNES' LECTURE. —This gentleman gave
readings from his published and unpublished poetry
in the Dorset dialect, to a numerous and respectable
audience, on Thursday evening last. The specimens
read evidently gave great gratification. Lord
Sidney Obsorne presided, and w lup the evening
by thanking Mr. Barnes in as broad Dorset as he
could select.
ETERS' Ciinnermaa MINNEIL—This annual dinner
took place on Saturday last, and was as usual well
attended, the capital spread being discussed with
that relish which was the best proof of its inviting
character. Mr. Eyers' concert comes off during the
week. and he will this year have the advantage of
holding it in a room favourable to acoustic effect.
lttrut CORPS.—The rifle movement is making
rapid progress. Sixty have now joined as effectives,
and when in full work we expect the number will be
greatly increased. The first meeting for drill was
to take place in the Corn Exchange on Monday
evening (yesterday). G. Slansel, Fag., captain pro
from. is an active recruiting officer, and lithe Finance
Committee do as much to increase the funds as he
does to increase the number of effective'', we shall
have here a capital and enduring rifle corps.
CAPTAIN FARQUHARSON'S TROOP Or Tao-
MAN RV. —ThO members of this troop were invited to
meet their captain at the Corn Exchange on Wed-
nesday last, for the purpose of going through the
sword exercise. Captain Farquharson and Adju-
tants Maimed and Parke were present, but the en-
thusiasm of the troop only caused 12 privates to as-
seeable—rather a thin gathering for these war.
like times.

BLANDFORD SAVINGS BANK. —The usual yearly
meeting of this institution was held on Monday, the
2nd inst., and the accounts submitted presented the
gratifying feature of a continued increase both in the
number of accounts and in the amount of deposits.
At the close of the year Ihlis the number of accounts
open exceeded ally number that had then been pre.
viously attained, but the year ended in 19 sur-
passes all, the number of accounts open being 1,993,
and the amount due to depositors £79,nl I 19s. M.
—an excellent accumulated fund, which, if well ad-
ministered by its owners, will help them to meet the
various exigencies of life and the wants of advancing
years. Happily throughout the land there is no lack
of employment, and possibly the time has arrived
when those who lead industrious lives must more
than ever he taught that dm only way to enrich
their honuni with comforts, now but too often want-
ing, is by prudence and a wise forethought. The
meeting was fully attended, and was presided over
by H. K. Seymer, Esq., .M.P.