unaccustomed as I am to public speaking (laughter), I beg
leave on behalf of myself and the absent members of the Surrey 'Unt, to
return you our own most 'artfelt thanks for the flattering compliment
you have just paid us, and to assure you that the esteem and approbation
of our fellow-sportsmen is to us the magnum bonum of all earthly
'appiness (cheers and laughter). Gentlemen, I will not trespass longer
upon your valuable time, but as you seem to enjoy this wine of my friend
Mr. Jorrocks's, I may just say that I have got some more of the same
quality left, at from forty-two to forty-eight shillings a dozen, also
some good stout draught port, at ten and sixpence a gallon--some ditto
werry superior at fifteen; also foreign and British spirits, and Dutch
liqueurs, rich and rare." The conclusion of the vintner's address was
drowned in shouts of laughter. Mr. Jorrocks then called upon the company
in succession for a toast, a song, or a sentiment. Nimrod gave, "The
Royal Staghounds"; Crane gave, "Champagne to our real friends, and real
pain to our sham friends"; Green sung, "I'd be a butterfly"; Mr. Stubbs
gave, "Honest men and bonnie lasses"; and Mr. Spiers, like a patriotic
printer, gave, "The liberty of the Press," which he said was like
fox-hunting--"if we have it not we die"--all of which Mr. Jorrocks
applauded as if he had never heard them before, and drank in bumpers. It
was evident that unless tea was speedily announced he would soon become;

O'er the ills of life victorious,

for he had pocketed his wig, and had been clipping the Queen's English
for some time. After a pause, during which his cheeks twice changed
colour, from red to green and back to red, he again called for a bumper
toast, which he prefaced with the following speech, or parts of a
speech:

"Gentlemen--in rising--propose toast about to give--feel werry--feel
werry--(Yorkshireman, 'werry muzzy?') J---- feel werry--(Mr. Spiers,
'werry sick?') J---- werry--(Crane, 'werry thirsty?') J---- feel
werry --(Nimrod, 'werry wise?') J---- no; but werry sensible --great
compliment--eyes of England upon us--give you the health--Mr. Happerley
Nimrod--three times three!"

He then attempted to rise for the purpose of marking the time, but his
legs deserted his body, and after two or three lurches down he went with
a tremendous thump under the table. He called first for "Batsay," then
for "Binjimin," and, game to the last, blurted out, "Lift me up!--tie me
in m