I have the honour to hold two offices which, if I did not enjoy the
friendship of the farmers, would be very thorny ones. One of them is
that of being a member of Parliament for an agricultural county. You
will agree with me that, in such a position, if I were not on good
terms with the farmer, I would often be on a bed of thorns.
The other office I hold is that of master of a pack of hounds. I think
also if I were not on good terms with the farmer that would not be a
very pleasant position. I do not know that there is any similarity
between the two offices, except that neither of them has any salary. I
hope and trust that it will be a very long time before the country
will be unable to find men willing to do the duties in either capacity
without being paid for them.
_Tredegar Show,
December 19th, 1865._