DIFFICULTY IN ACTING UP TO MY OWN ADVICE. 155 



Reminiscences, I presumed to offer to young sports- 

 men I found it very difficult to act up to when my 

 privacy was disturbed at Harrold by a request to 

 stand for the western division of Gloucestershire. 

 No man enjoyed society more than I did, and, until 

 I went to Harrold, I had never missed a London 

 season. My fortune, under AVest India failures, would 

 not admit of a London season and a pack of fox- 

 hounds ; so, as I advise every man to do, in spite of 

 tlie contempt made famous by Lord Chesterfield's 

 wish to the barking cur-dog, that " he was married 

 and settled in the country," when a man marries, 

 if he has to make a selection for all the year round, 

 let him adopt the country life. I did so, and a right 

 happy life it was and is ; and, when the proposition 

 came that I should contest the county, I had never 

 been to London for more than a day or so for five 

 years. The proposition came to me first from Colonel 

 Berkeley, and, making no disguise of my reluctance, 

 I firmly declined. iMy reasons were asked, and I 

 stated them fairly, that I was reluctant to break in 

 upon my retired life, to incur fresh expenses, and to 

 risk the loss of my hounds. This only brought to 

 me further entreaties, with an assurance that my 

 public position should not cost me a farthing. I had 

 alread}^, on the passing of the Reform Bill, taken 

 some local lead in politics, by proposing the late Lord 

 Ducie, then Mr. Henry Moreton, to represent the 

 whole county for the passing of that measure, and 

 also, at another election, the nomination of Mr. Han- 

 bury Tracey, now Lord Sudeley, for Tewkesbury. 

 Mr. Henry Moreton succeeded, but Mr. Tracey Av^as 

 at that time defeated. Well, my old maxim, that a 

 man should not on account of favourite recreations 



