by the presence of the Foreign Secretary with
whom I have had such delightful intercourse,
Lord Lansdowne, from whom no secrets are hid;
and then to find that so many of the famous men
of England of all professions, parties, and opin-
ions have come here to-night as my friends--I
could look almost every man in this company in
the face and claim him almost as an old friend--
I do not dare trust myself to speak at all about
it. I can only thank the Lord Mayor for his
magnificent hospitality, and you, all my fellow-
guests here, for your inspiring presence. I am
sure that you will indulge me, before I say the
fatal word "Farewell," in a few words in re-
sponse to what has been so eloquently said
to you by the Prime Minister. Altogether too
much credit has been attributed to me for the
happy, the delightful relations that now exist be-
tween our two countries. If I have contributed in
the least degree to maintain and preserve what
I found already existing, the last six years will
be the proudest of my life.

But, gentlemen, the real credit of this happy
state of things belongs not to me or to any Am-
bassador, but it belongs to the two men who are
responsible, and have now for some years been
responsible, for the conduct of our relations, no
longer foreign relations--I mean Lord Lans-
downe and Mr. Hay. The diplomatist who should
try to pick a quarrel with Lord Lansdowne would
be a curious crank indeed; because he would have
to pick it all himself; Lord Lansdowne would be

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