AAA Coming of Age Dinner

1 4 and be better friends than ever. I know at one time it was thought that horse racing was the best sport in the world; but if I may be allowed to express my opinion, I think our great game of cricket , played as it is now, has done far more for the youth of England than any number of horse races (loud cheers). Gentlemen, I feel ashamed at having detained you at such length—(no, no),—but I have never had this opportunity before, and I do not suppose it is ever likely to come to me again. 1 wish to ask you to drink prosperity to this Association, not because many of you are members of it , not because many of you have gained some or all of the advantages to which I have referred, but because you feel that it is an Association which raises the standard of genuine honest sport among all classes, which setsan example toother Associa­ tions, which can be appealedto in any questionof difficulty, and which is prepared to lay down reasonable anpdroper laws for the proper organiza­ tion of sport . Gentlemen, I should like here, before I venture to ask anyone to respondto this Toast , to say homwuch I feel this Association owes to" our friend, Mr. HERBERT (loud cheers). Lately, theAssociation and others connected with athletics gave testimony to our regard and esteem for Mr. HERBERT'Swork, and I am sure he was truly glad to receive from us such an acknowledgment . It is by means of men who make such a thing as this their hobbayn,d who have time and give time to it for no great glory to themselves, that such an Association will succeed. Gentlemen, there are many other men, many sitting at this table, who might have equal claims with the one whose name I am going to select to respond for the Toast , many of them,—all of them perhaps,—could corroborate what hI ave said, couldsupplement it with other details and fill up with more minute particulars the mere outline of athletic sports which I have given of the last 36 yea;rsbut there is no one whcoan more worthily respond than one of our Vice-Presidents,—I meaMnr. MONTAGUE SHEARMAN (cheers). I see Mr. MONTAGUESHEARMANnow from a different standard from whichI used to see him ; and if I venture to express the view that anyone of his arguments is ill-founded it is due to my less enlightened judgment (laughter). I see him turn round, and I hear the Juniors of the Bar saying, 'God bless my soul , this manis President of the A.A.A. ' (renewed laughter). Gentlemen, I have been actuated by purely selfish motives. I was requested by my friend, Mr. HERBERT, to call up name after name to respond for this AssociatioIn.said, 'No, if I am to have any peace as long Iassit on the Bench MONTAGUESHEARMAN, and MONTAGUE SHEARMAN alone, sliall respond to this Toast ' (more laughter). Gentlemen, Igive you the Toast of the health of the A.A.A. , coupled with the name of MONTAGUESHEARMAN." (Loud cheers.) RESPONSE. Mr. MONTAGUE SHEARMAN"M:y LordChairman and Gentle­ men; likeyou, my Lord Chairman, Inow have a unique opportunity.On ordinary occasions when I have addressed an assemblage of my lellovv- countrymen—twelve of them—there follows upon my oration some few