=Source.=--_The Diary and Correspondence of Charles Abbott, Lord
Colchester._ London, 1861. Vol. III. p. 112.
_Letter from Mr. B. Wilbraham._
"Portland Place, February 7th, 1820.
"My dear Lord,
"I am not aware that I can communicate much more information than
the newspapers, if so much, but as a letter from London at a moment
like the present is supposed to be interesting, I write a few lines.
"The death of the poor King was not expected by the public in
general, but those who were about him saw a rapid change taking
place, and a loathing of nourishment and other symptoms; and when I
was at Windsor three weeks ago, the Duke of York, who had not seen
him for five or six days, was much affected at the change.
"He died without any pain, spoke a short time before his death, and
had no gleam of returning reason, which Dr. Willis then told me
he would not have. Since his death we have been in some danger of
losing the present King, who has been very ill of an inflammation
of the chest, which was cured by his losing 130 ounces of blood.
This loss would have killed you or me, but he is so accustomed
to being bled, that the day after the operation was performed
his pulse was at 84. He is now recovering, but I expect that his
constitution will not be the better for this violent, though
necessary discipline.
"He held a Privy Council two days after the King's death, and was
forced to exert himself, which I believe was rather against him;
but he has not done anything of the sort since, and I hope he will
soon recover his strength.
"No political change has taken place under the circumstances of
the country, but we look forward to a dissolution of Parliament;
and whether it will be early or late, before the ensuing session
of Parliament or after it, it is the question about which we are
very anxious; though I am not of the number, it being a matter of
indifference to me when I visit my Dover[1] friends.
"Brougham, it is said, has sent the Queen a detailed account of
her patronage, which, as you know, is considerable, and a blank
patent for the office of her Attorney-General; when this returns
filled up, he will form a third party in the House of Commons, and
probably will be very troublesome to both the others; though the
Whigs will contrive to agree with him as often as they can.
"You will be glad to hear that we are as peaceable and quiet as
lambs in Lancashire; that seditious printers, drillers at night,
and others were found guilty by the juries at the Manchester
Sessions, and were sentenced to various punishments without a
single murmur being heard in Court. I understand that this implicit
obedience to the laws has produced a sensation of considerable
surprise on the Continent, where people imagined us on the eve of
a revolution. I confess that I imagined we should not have been so
quiet in the North as we are. Hunt and Co., you know, are to be
tried at the Spring Lancashire Assizes....
"The Bank resumed bullion payments on the 1st February, in ingots
(to the amount of £300), commonly called Ricardos; and I understand
that in the first three days only three were applied for. One for
Lord Thanet, one for a country banker, from curiosity, and the
other I know not for whom. The price of gold is from two to three
shillings below the Mint price, which accounts for this little
demand.
"Yours very truly,
"E. B. WILBRAHAM."