496 POLITICAL CORRESPONDENCE. [1810. 



commercial information more than adequate to the 

 possible demand upon it, and sufficient to weigh 

 down all those with whom you may have to contend. 

 Your occasional preparation for parliamentary busi- 

 ness will therefore be easy, and occasion less distrac- 

 tion. You will certainly sacrifice something of profit. 

 If you really adhere to the resolution of continuing 

 earnestly to seek professional practice, and if you 

 can keep to that steadily, I should have no difficulty 

 in advising you to accept the offer. If, however, you 

 feel uncertain of your own powers of resistance, or 

 likely to yield to the innumerable solicitations and 

 temptations with which you will be assailed, I should 

 think that every prudential consideration ought to 

 deter you. 



" In deciding this question, it does not appear to me 

 that you determine for future offers as well as this. 



" There can be no doubt, even if you refuse, that 

 you may and will have other offers ; but I am clear 

 that if you refuse this, you ought not to accept for a 

 long time any other ; because, except your situation 

 was materially changed, and you came into Parlia- 

 ment as Solicitor-General, you never can take any 

 scat under circumstances so favourable. 



" You will now come in without any decided 

 leader to the party, in a state of the House of Com- 

 mons the most favourable to the display and the suc- 

 cess of talents, with no very powerful opponent to 

 bear you down; and with the opportunity (from the 

 eagerness expressed by all your principal friends to 



