Whitehall, Nov. 17th, 1788.
MY DEAR BROTHER,
The accounts for the last two days have been, I think, rather less
favourable than that of Saturday, which I sent you. You can,
however, hardly conceive the difficulty which we have, even at this
small distance, to procure such information as can be in any degree
depended on. All the private accounts are so strongly tinctured by
the wishes of those who send them, that no reliance can be placed
upon them; and the private letters of the physicians are frequently
inconsistent with each other, and even with the public account
which they send to St. James's. In general, that account has been
uniformly found to be the least favourable; and seems as if it was
drawn for the purpose of discouraging the hopes which their own
letters and conversation excite. The letters which they read to
Pitt, though frequently varying in their general tenor from the
public account, are not at all more detailed than that is, and take
no sort of notice of the most material circumstances. I imagine all
this is to be imputed to a difference of opinion which is supposed
to prevail amongst them, it being believed that Warren is strongly
inclined to think the disorder permanent, and that Reynolds is
sanguine in the contrary opinion. Pitt is gone down again to
Windsor to-day; but will hardly be back again time enough for me to
insert his account in this letter. The public account of to-day
says, I understand, that the King has had much quiet and composed
sleep, but is nearly the same as before. The sleep, I am told, is
generally considered as a favourable symptom.
Under these circumstances, there can, I think, be no doubt that the
two Houses will adjourn on Thursday, without opposition.
Everything remains as before. I think you clearly have done right
in stopping Corry, it being so much our interest to prevent, and
not to promote, negotiation. I think, on more reflexion, that the
idea of refusing the power of dissolving is impracticable, and may
be turned against us in the end; the other limitations will, I
believe, be proposed; and that alone will be sufficient to put all
negotiation out of the question.
Fox is expected in three or four days; but it seems impossible that
he should be here so soon.
Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.