LORD  BYRON  and  his  TIMES
Byron
Documents Biography Criticism
In Whig Society 1775-1818
Daniel Giles, MP to Lady Melbourne, 11 September 1811
INTRODUCTION & INDEXES
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
GO TO PAGE NUMBER:
Introduction
Contents
Forward
Chapter I.
Chapter II.
Chapter III.
Chapter IV.
Chapter V.
Chapter VI.
Chapter VII.
Chapter VIII.
Chapter IX.
Index
Creative Commons License

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Produced by CATH
Dear Lady Melbourne,

I am extremely vexed with myself for having introduced you into the unfortunate discussions existing between me & William & had I foreseen that the referring to the conversation in question would have had that effect I should certainly have abstained from mentioning a circumstance the aid of which the ground I stand upon does not appear to me to require. But having brought it forward I must endeavour to recall it to your recollection though I may possibly fail from the observation having been made in an accidental and short conversation which perhaps I should not have remembered had not the impression of it been fixed by other circumstances.

The precise time in the last spring I cannot state but you may perhaps recollect my walking with you & Lord Melbourne from Whitehall through the Park I think to St. James’s & then to Mrs. Fitzherbert’s & Lady Sefton’s. During
124FAMILY AND POLITICAL TROUBLES 
part of the time some fourth person was with us but who I cannot at this moment recollect. We were all walking together in the Mall opposite the wall of Carlton House. The termination of the Parliament was talked of & some observation was made by the fourth person about St. Albans & the chance of an opposition there. I said I was very safe or something to that effect & you then observed to me that I was very strong and popular there & in a manner that made an impression upon me from my having then lately heard that a sort of enquiry had been making respecting the strength of Halsey & me & other probable candidates. I do not know that you were acquainted with this & only mention it to account for my perfect recollection of your expression. At the same time it is not my wish to press into this discussion any circumstance that may be thought doubtful, & if the detail I have given does not bring it back to your mind it would be more satisfactory to me to consider the allusion to it as expunged from my letter to William.

The conversation respecting the Dinners was I believe exactly as you state it but this was long anterior to that which I have referred to.

With respect to what was said at the time of or rather previous to the Election you cannot fail to recollect that under an apprehension that my return if obtained would not stand good, I strongly pressed the advantage of my retiring from the Poll in favor of Frederic or George & urged that in such case William might secure the seat for a future occasion. This you know was not approved of & I was of course bound to stand the hazard of the contest. It turned out favour-
FAMILY AND POLITICAL TROUBLES125
ably, and I obtained the seat but most assuredly not according to my understanding as a mere tenant for another, though as I have already said, if the application had been made to me at an earlier period I should without difficulty have given way to William & instead of cultivating an interest & making engagements on my own account should have readily co-operated with him in preparing the way for his future success.

I forbear from entering more fully into the subject because I do not wish to engage you in it or to use arguments to influence your opinion. It is very painful to me to have to discuss such a question at all & there is not anything I so much deprecate as the hazard of interrupting the friendship you have long honoured me with & which I shall always feel for you and your family.

B. King delivered me your message & I hope it will not be long before I have the pleasure of coming to you at Brocket. We shall probably meet on the 16th at Hatfield. Believe me,

My dear Lady Melbourne,
Most faithfully &
respectfully yours
Danl. Giles.
Youngsbury,
Sept. 11th, 1811.