an egg. But without using any arguments whatever, he would
give them "The Health of the Prince and Princess, and the rest of the
Royal Family," and he was sure it would be received with enthusiasm.

The band of the Grenadier Guards, under Mr. Dan Godfrey, played "God
Bless the Prince of Wales," after which the Prince rose and said:--

"My Lords and Gentlemen,--I am excessively grateful to the noble
Earl for the most kind and flattering--I may say far too
flattering--terms in which he has been kind enough to propose my
health, that of the Princess, and the other members of my
family, and for the excessively cordial manner in which you have
been kind enough to receive it this evening. It is, no doubt,
somewhat unusual that the health of the Chairman should be given
at so early a period, but I am very grateful to the noble Earl
for the kind manner in which he has given it, and to you for
the way in which you have received it. Lord Granville has just
mentioned to you that this afternoon he was accosted by a
friend, who asked him why he was coming to-night, and expressed
some surprise at his doing so. Lord Granville was asked by one
friend. During the last three or four days I have received as
many as 200 petitions from bodies in all parts of the United
Kingdom begging me on no account to be present here this
evening. Of course, I do not wish in any way to disparage those
temperance societies, which have, no doubt, excellent objects in
view. But I think this time they have rather overshot the mark,
because the object of the meeting to-night is not to encourage
the love of drink, but to support a good and excellent charity.
I can only say, and I am sure all those here will agree with me,
that no one had the interest of all those in his adopted country
more at heart than my lamented father, and I feel perfectly
convinced that he would never have been the patron of the
society unless he was sure that it was one that was likely to do
good, and that it was deserving of his support. Lord Granville
has made far too flattering allusion to me as a Chairman, but as
he has been kind enough to say--giving me certainly a broad
hint--that speeches of this kind should be short, I am only too
happy to avail myself of it; and if brevity is the soul of wit,
I shall be the wittiest of chairmen.

"Before sitting