JET. 35.] WILBERFORCE AND YORK. 43 



a letter to Mr Eoscoe, to be published, if necessary or 

 advisable, according to the news at the proper time. 

 I sincerely hope it may be unnecessary ; and if the 

 flag of truce brings the news, as stated in the Sunday 

 papers, it must be so. One word more as to this great 

 question of American war. Though I feel anxious on 

 it, to an unspeakable degree, yet, when I reflect on 

 the history of the country and its follies, I really can- 

 not deny that we should richly deserve it, if it does 

 happen ; and should the dispute finally hinge on the 

 impressment of seamen, without being superstitious, 

 I shall almost call it a judgment. Ever yours most 

 truly, H. B." 



After the summer circuit in 1812, I had some 

 correspondence with Wilberforce upon various subjects 

 not the least interesting of which were Parliament- 

 ary Eeform, the slave-trade, and his own idea that 

 he was not strong enough to give the same time and 

 attention he had formerly bestowed on his Parlia- 

 mentary duties, and consequently that he began to 

 think it a duty to his Yorkshire constituents to retire 

 from the representation of that county. 



"SANDGATE, Sept 23, 1812. 



" MY DEAR BROUGHAM, I was just sitting down to 

 state to you the cause of your not sooner receiving an 

 answer to your former letter viz., that I had been on 

 the ramble for nearly a fortnight, taking my boys to 

 their respective schools when I received this morning 

 your favour of the 19th inst. From our earliest ac- 

 quaintance you have accustomed me to expect from 

 you all that is kind and friendly ; and, therefore, how- 



