The duties of a country gentleman and a Member of Parliament, the
boredom of a visit to a constituency could not always be avoided by
Selwyn. Thus the two following letters are written from
Gloucestershire.

(1774,) Aug. 9, Tuesday, Gloucester.--I set out from London on
Saturday last, as intended, and came to Matson the next day to
dinner. I found our learned Counsel in my garden; he dined with me,
and lay at my house, and the next morning he came with me in my
chaise to this place for the Assizes. I have seen little of him
since, being chiefly in the Grand Jury chamber, but I take it for
granted that till this morning that he set out for London his hands
were full of business, and the two men condemned were his clients,
who were condemned only par provision till he had drawn up the case.

This town has been very full of the neighbouring gentlemen, and I
suppose the approaching elections have been the cause of it. I am
not personally menaced with any opposition, but have a great dread
of one, because the contentions among those who live in the country
and have nothing else to do but to quarrel, are so great, that
without intending to hurt me, they will stir up trouble and
opposition, which will be both hazardous and expensive. I am
tormented to take a part in I know not what, and with I know not
whom, and my difficulty is to keep off the solicitation of my
friends, as they call themselves, who want a bustle, the expense of
which is not to be defrayed by themselves.

I do assure you that it is a monstrous oppression of spirits which I