ou have expressed to him some
uneasiness at not hearing from me in reference to the discussions
which have, as he tells me, been going on between you and the
Government upon the proposal of his taking the Chair, I do not
hesitate to assure you that no man living can take a more cordial
and affectionate interest than I do in everything which regards
your happiness and gratifications, public and private, and that
whatever could be done, on my very limited scale, that could in the
least degree contribute to any of those objects, I should do with
all the kind and ready feelings of warm and sincere affection. From
political discussions, however, I have, as you know, entirely
withdrawn myself for a very long time past, and the very little
share which I took in the discussion respecting yourself and
Charles, at the beginning of last winter, convinced me how much
pain to myself and how little advantage to you, must arise from my
renewing them. In truth, I am much too antiquated to enter into the
councils of a mind as ardent as yours, and much too little
conversant with the politics of these times to be a useful or safe
adviser. I have the more readily adopted this negative course from
the persuasion that you, who are in the prime of life for business,
with more than forty years over your head, with good talents, and
with no little experience of men and manners, are a much more
reasonable judge of what is fit for you to do or not to do, than
any other man can be for you. Who is there that can sufficiently
adopt the thoughts and feelings and taste of another, to decide for
him what is best for his own happiness? Why should it be required
that I, who have one foot in the grave, should see the objects of
public life or the means of attaining them, in the same points of
view with yourself, who are in the prime of active life, and
ardently alive to all those pursuits which are flat and
unprofitable to my antiquated eyes? It is perhaps not unreasonable
in me, who see you one of the first men in the country, with a
Dukedom and the Garter, and having already all that the Crown can
give, to consider you as standing upon very elevated ground, and as
being one who ought not easily to be persuaded by any Government to
accept of any office from them. On the other hand, it is quite
natural for you or a