You, who have passed the summer with us, and a melancholy one it
has been, are more sensible than any one else can possibly be, how
difficult it is to give any account of my poor father. If I had
wrote last week, I should have said that he was better than when you
left Beriton, not indeed as to strength, but in regard to spirits,
appetite, and sleep, the last of which was indeed procured him by a
very gentle opiate of Mrs. Gibbon's. Now, on the contrary, I think
him much worse. His breath is very bad, he is greatly swelled, and
this morning had a fainting fit, which alarmed us exceedingly.
I am very much obliged to you and Mr. Porten for obtaining this
delay from the G[osling]s, and hope the interest will be paid as it
ought. Should my father be a Little better, I shall try to steal up
to London next week, and the more so, as I am very desirous of seeing
Mr. Porten.
May health and amusement attend you at Bath. If any thing should
happen that could be either _agreable_ or _necessary_ for you to
know, you may depend on hearing from me.
I am, Dear Sir,
Most sincerely yours,
E. G.
[Sidenote: HIS FATHER'S DEATH.]
84.
_To James Scott, Esq._
Beriton, November the 13th, 1770.