Gibbon mentions in his _Memoirs_ (edit. 1796, p. 18.), that in 1741 his
father and Mr. Delmé successfully contested Southampton against Mr. Henly,
subsequently Lord Chancellor, but that, after the dissolution in 1747, he
was unable or unwilling to maintain another contest, and "the life of the
senator expired in that dissolution." Not so the hopes of the senator, as
will appear from the following extract from a letter, dated "Beriton,
January 27, 1754:"
"I received the favour of your letter according to the time you
promised. As Lord M---- has promised his own votes, I find there is
nothing to be done: strange behaviour, sure! But there seems to be such
infatuation upon this poor country, that even a good Catholic shall
join with a Dissenter to rivet on her chains. There are several of the
Independents would have me stand it out, but I would not on any
account, for I find it would make great dissensions, and even several
of Lord M----'s fagots and tenants would vote against him; and another
thing, it would lessen him in the opinion of a _great many people_ to
have him making interest for the two _present worthy candidates_
against me. I shall therefore, upon his account, give over all thoughts
of standing; and I hope it may give me some little more credit and
merit with him against another election, especially if you would _be so
good as to improve it for me_."
The following is of far greater interest--full of character. How well it
illustrates the paragraph in the _Memoirs_ (pp. 82-3.):
"My stay at Beriton was always voluntary ... I never handled a gun, I
seldom mounted a horse; and my philosophic walks were soon terminated
by a shady bench, where I was long detained by the sedentary amusement
of reading or meditation."
It appears however, by this letter, that on one occasion he trespassed
on some neighbour's game preserves, and received a hint on the subject:
Beriton, Nov. 16, 1758.