44 ELECTION PROSPECTS. [1812. 



ever gratified by the letter now before me, I cannot 

 be surprised at it. But habit will not, I trust, in this 

 instance, have the effect of blunting the sensibility of 

 my feelings ; at least it has not hitherto done it ; on 

 the contrary, I have at this moment a deep sense of 

 your kindness, and I beg you to accept my best thanks 

 for it; and I assure you I know the value of your 

 offers of service, which, at the very time when you 

 might fairly be supposed, without the imputation of 

 selfishness, to be fully occupied in your own concerns, 

 you make me with so much friendly zeal. But the 

 die is cast. I will frankly state to you all the circum- 

 stances of the case. For considerably above a year 

 I have been deliberating, together with two or three 

 particular friends, whether on any dissolution of Par- 

 liament I had not better resign my present situation, 

 and accept the kind offer of a dear friend, and, through 

 marriage, a near relative, to bring me in for a seat 

 which would not impose on me the obligation of such 

 constant attendance as I deem to be my duty so long 

 as I remain member for Yorkshire. 



" Two considerations chiefly led me to entertain 

 this proposal. First, that I began to find my load a 

 little too heavy in short, I began to feel that I grew 

 older; and, secondly, that my six children claimed 

 more of my time and thoughts than I could spare 

 them while in my present station. The rumours of 

 an approaching dissolution forced me to make up 

 my mind, and at length I decided to retire from the 

 county. I will fairly, however, confess to you and I 

 hope that I shall not thereby subject myself to the 

 imputation of extraordinary vanity that the reports 

 of an intended opposition, especially when it was 



