Whitehall, Nov. 25th, 1788.
MY DEAR BROTHER,
I am very sorry to be obliged to say that the account from the
physicians to-day, confirmed by the most accurate testimony from
private quarters, state the King's situation in the most
unfavourable manner, his disorder having returned with great
violence. I do not understand that there is any return of bodily
complaint, so that nothing can be worse than this intelligence.
From what I now understand, it should seem that some considerable
time must elapse, even after the two Houses meet, before any
decisive step can be proposed, as it seems now to be thought
necessary that some mode of satisfaction should be given to the
Houses themselves, by means of Secret Committees, or otherwise,
respecting the King's situation, and that after that precedents
must be searched.
Fox arrived yesterday morning early, having come in little more
than nine days from Bologna. He expected, it is said, from the
accounts which he had received, to find the King dead.
Ever most affectionately yours,
W. W. G.