JET. 35.] WILBERFORCE AND YORK. 45 



rumoured that a certain affluent nobleman meant 

 again to propose his son, instead of disposing me to 

 resign, produced, and very strongly, the directly op- 

 posite feelings. For believing, as I do, that a decided 

 majority of the freeholders would be friendly to me, I 

 should resent with indignation the idea of any noble- 

 man being suffered to force his son into the represen- 

 tation of such a county as ours, by the terrors of his 

 purse, against the will of the majority. I also believe, 

 as you seem to do, that there was no chance of any 

 serious opposition, had I offered myself a candidate, 

 especially taking into account your friendly zeal for 

 me, and the Duke of Norfolk's obliging offer of sup- 

 port and influence with the Whig party. 



" But I can truly assure you that my determination 

 was formed without the slightest reference to the pro- 

 bability of a contest ; and it scarcely seemed to be 

 right for me to be piqued into deviating from the 

 course which otherwise I had resolved to pursue, sanc- 

 tioned by the counsel of several of my best and dearest 

 friends. 



" Between ourselves also, and in confidence, I will 

 also acknowledge that I have not relished what ap- 

 peared to me not unlikely to be the consequence of 

 my retiring, that the representation of our county 

 might fall into the hands of two rich and powerful 

 noblemen, who, once tasting the sweets of a quiet elec- 

 tion, in which each returned one member, might be 

 tempted to come to some understanding which might 

 be injurious to the independence of our county. 

 Still, what was to be done ? I have not indeed I 

 never had, my dear Brougham without a compliment, 

 your strength either of body or mind ; and now, at 



