February the 29th. I did so; and after breakfast we retired to his
room, and I unfolded my plan for the post-office, and after such
an approbation of it as he usually permitted himself on the first
presentment of any idea, and desiring me to commit it to writing, he,
during that pause of conversation which follows a business closed, said,
in an affectionate tone, that he had felt much concern at an expression
which dropped from me yesterday, and which marked my intention of
retiring when he should. That as to himself, many motives obliged him to
it. He had, through the whole course of the war, and most particularly
at the close of it, uniformly declared his resolution to retire from
public affairs, and never to act in any public office; that he had
retired under that firm resolution: that the government however, which
had been formed, being found evidently too inefficacious, and it being
supposed that his aid was of some consequence towards bringing the
people to consent to one of sufficient efficacy for their own good, he
consented to come into the convention, and on the same motive, after
much pressing, to take a part in the new government, and get it under
way. That were he to continue longer, it might give room to say, that
having tasted the sweets of office, he could not do without them: that
he really felt himself growing old, his bodily health less firm, his
memory, always bad, becoming worse, and perhaps the other faculties of
his mind showing a decay to others of which he was insensible himself;
that this apprehension particularly oppressed him: that he found,
moreover, his activity lessened, business therefore more irksome,
and tranquillity and retirement become an irresistible passion.
Pages:
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748
749
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764