phyficians were examined, but they were examined repeatedly; and not only were they examined as to every fact that had a near relation to the prefent ftate of his Majefty's health, but likewife to many circumstances that had a very remote connection with the prefent ftate of his Majefty's health, if they had any connection at all. The truth was, this morning it had been thought proper to afk Dr Warren certain queftions with refpect to his opinion of Dr Willis's treatment of his Majefty. Thefe queftions, he conceived, were improper; the committee had no orders whatever from the Houfe, to go into the propriety or impropriety of the treatment of his Majefty by the phyficians. The Rt Hon. Gentleman had alfo complained, that the King's furgeons and apothecaries had not been examined. He faid the reason why they had not been examined was, that this fubject was debated in the Houfe before the examination began, and it was the fenfe of the Houfe that they should not be examined. Another thing had been advanced by the Rt Hon. Gentleman, and that was, that the King's life was unfafe. He faid, this alluded to a fact that came out fome time ago in the examination; it came out, that Dr Willis, about a month ago, had intrufted his Majeity with a razor : Dr Willis did not deny this fact when it was put to him, and he affigns his reafons for his conduct in the report. Mr Pitt had not the least doubt, that the true ftate of his Majefty's health would fully and clearly appear from the report, and therefore moved-" that it should be read and printed."

Mr Wyndham rofe to fecond the motion of his Rt Hon. Friend (Mr Burke.)

The question being now called for, the Speaker put the question, "that this report be now read," which was carried, and read pro forma.

It was moved and carried, "that this report be referred to the committee for confidering farther of the ftate of the nation." FIRST EXAMINATION of his MAJESTY'S PHYSICIANS, before the committee of the Houfe of Lords on Dec. 10. of which the heads were given, vol. 50. p. 576.

[It has been thought neceffary, on a matter of fuch importance, to state the evidence at large, as every thing relative to the nature of the King's illnefs will be anxioufly fought for hereafter.]

difpofition.-Cannot form any judgement or probable conjecture of the duration of his Majefty's illness.-His Majefty's recovery is a great deal more probable.-His Majefty's indifpofition is attended with fymptoms of violence and acutenefs: another fpecies of this indifpofition is attended with lowness of fpirits and defpair; the latter of which is moft difficult to be cured.-We must judge of the fpecies of a diforder by the fymptoms: but when we know the cause is from a blow, from exceffes of any kind, from fudden frights, from watching, from too great attention to business, or any fudden misfortune, the cure will be brought about, in all probability, by an attention to what we judge to be the caufe.-I have attended his Majefty fo fhort a time, that I can only form a guess, or hazard an opinion, from what I am told of his Majefty's mode of life; therefore I would not have your Lordships imagine I prefume to give it as a pofitive opinion, but, from a detail of his Majefty's mode of life for 27 years, I fhould rather think, that his Majefty's indifpofition has been brought about by ufing very ftrong exercise, taking little fullenance, watching, or want of fleep, perhaps when his mind was upon the stretch with very weighty affairs; and I am the more inclined to think I may guefs right, becaufe the medicines that were to meet with fuch caufes, which were ordered on Sunday laft, have had the effect that I could wish.His Majefty's nerves are lefs irritable, which muft precede convalefcence, and must be regarded as a favourable symptom.-His Majefty is much calmer, eats and drinks, takes medicines, and goes to bed quietly; which I confider as a partial, not a total ceffation.-I have attended his Majefty from Friday morn ing laft, at about ten or eleven o'clock.The ufual time in which patients under my care recover, if I am called within three months, is from three to eighteen months: fometimes they have recovered much fooner than three months, two months, fix weeks, or one month; I have had fome two years under my care, and recovered afterwards. I cannot prefume to form any opinion as to the time. I understand by recovery, to be perfectly well and fit for business, in all refpects, as he was before.-As complete a recovery, as if it was from an ague, fever, or cold, may be wrought, with proper attention to his mode of life.-In the courfe of my experience it has happened that perfons recovered by me have come a fecond time under my care; but I do not think they are more likely to relapse into fuch an indifpofition, than any one is into a violent fever.-When I have fent a perfon out as cured, and that perfon returns under my care again, if three or four years intervene, I confider it as a new diforder; if it is within a year, I should call

it a relapfe.-I have had them return from one to eighteen years; but cannot speak as to majorities.

Dr Richard Warren ftated,-The hopes he entertained must be determined by the probability of cure, and that can be judged of only by what has happened to others; by which Í find, that the majority of those who have been difordered in a manner fimilar to his Majesty, have recovered; but I do not mean by the word "fimilar," his Majefty's particular diforder, but that diforder in geheral; and I infer from thence, that it is more probable that his Majesty will recover. I apply this to cafes in general.-I cannot form any judgement, or probable conjecture, of the duration of his Majefty's illness. have no data fufficient to ground an anfwer upon to the queftion, whether I think it more probable that his Majesty will or will not recover, so as to render him capable of public bufinefs?-There has been no ceffation of his Majefty's diforder fince I attended him; no figns of returning understanding. There are no fymptoms of this diforder, but the fingle one of want of understanding. The words and the actions of perfons under this diforder are accidental, and depend upon the difference of the perfons themfelves. A man that has a variety of ideas will talk and act very differently from one who has fewer ideas, or has led a different course of life; his words and actions will be determined by the peculiarity of the man, and not by the diftemper. Under this explanation the fymptoms are more favourable. The probability of cure diminishes as the time of the diforder lengthens.-This disorder has not continued fo long as to enable me from thence to pronounce upon the probability of his recovery.-I faw his Majefty first on the 7th of November.It has been the cuftom of his Majesty's phyficians, from the day that I went first to Windfor, to put down in writing a defcription of the state of his Majesty's health every evening, and for each of them to fign the paper; by which it will appear, that there never was any difference of opinion among the physicians with respect to the cafe as it is put. This was continued daily, till his Majefty came to Kew.

Sir George Baker ftated. The hopes I entertain of his Majefty's recovery are founded upon an idea of its being probable. That idea of probability is fuggefted to me by paft experience, as well original as that of other phyficians, in cafes fimilar to that of his Majefty.-I can form no judgement, or probable conjecture, of the duration of his diforder. There was a ceffation of the diforder fince my firft fufpicion.-I conceived the firft fufpicion on the evening of Wednefday the 23d of October laft; and the next morning, when I vifited his Majesty very

early, he appeared to me to be perfectly well. On the Monday following I saw his Majefty at Windfor, and then I faw more figns of the diforder.-No ceffation fince Monday the 27th of October.-At this period of time I fee no figns of a returning understanding.I faw his Majesty on the 24th and 25th of October, and again on the 27th, when he had a degree of his prefent diforder, but in nothing like the ftate in which it has appeared fince.-On the 17th of October his Majefty was attacked by a diforder in which I had once before feen his Majesty, and to which I understand he had been very fubject: the diforder I conceive to be biliary concretions in the gall-duct.That illness lafted the greatest part of the 17th: it returned twice on Monday and Tueflay following; on Monday it was not fo fevere, and went off very soon; on Tuefday it was very trifling.-It is not my opinion that his Majesty's prefent malady has any relation to his previous diforder.-On Friday the 17th of October it was mentioned to me, that his Majefty had had a rafh, and upon that account his skin was examined and there did appear fome marks of there having been a rafh, which had spent itself. I was informed, that on Thursday the 16th his Majesty rose very early, and walked more than four hours; and afterwards went to St James's without having changed his ftockings, which were very wet.

It was imagined by fome of the family, that the rafh had been checked by his Majefty having fat in wet ftockings.-I can fay, that it is not my opinion that the rash being fo checked was the occafion of his Majefty's prefent disorder; for I conceive, that if his Majefty's prefent malady is fuppofed to be occafioned by fuch check, the effect would have followed the caufe more immediately. The 18th of October the left foot was a little inflamed, and in confequence fwelled; afterwards the right foot.-It had gone off about two days before the prefent diforder.I think he left off both his great fhoes on the 23d: he was lame and in pain in the mufcles of his legs with the rheumatifm on the 24th.-He had a reftless night on the Thursday; and when I saw his Majefty on the Friday morning, he was lowfpirited, and complained much of the neceffity of going to the levee. He complained all along of pains in the mufcles of his thighs and legs, as he does alfo at prefent.Thofe pains have no relation to his Majefty's prefent illness; nor is it my opinion that the rash was struck in.

Sir Lucas Pepys ftated,-The hopes of his Majefty's recovery arife from the general confideration that the majority of those afflicted

with the fame or fimilar disorders under which his Majesty now labours, do recover.-Can M 2

form

form no judgement or probable conjecture of the duration of his Majefty's illness.-His Majefty frequently is at times compofed and quiet; but this disorder does not abate during thofe periods.

Dr Henry Revell Reynolds thought there were well-founded hopes of his Majesty's re

covery grounded upon general experience; as the greater number of thofe afflicted with the fame malady with his Majesty generally recover.-Cannot form any judgement or probable conjecture of the duration of his Majefty's illness.

Doctor Anthony Addington had very good hopes of his Majefty's recovery; having never yet heard that his Majefty has had any diforder whatever, from which I could infer that he could not recover; and by recovery I mean fo as to be able to attend his parliament, and attend any other business as well as ever he did but I think there are hopes in my mind, from fome circumstances that I had not taken notice of before. I never heard that his Majefty was melancholy previous to his prefent indifpofition; and I do not recollect an inftance of any patient who required a longer time to be perfectly cured than one year, who had not laboured under a pretty long and very confiderable melancholy previous to his confinement.-Cannot form any probable judge ment of the duration of his Majefty's diiorder. It has been my good fortune to fee none who have not been cured within a year; fometimes in four months from the time they came under my care, unlef they were deenied incurable by the best judges before they were fent to my houfe. All the diforders within my practice, except as before, have been cured within the year; and I fhould think that fuch diforders would be curable

within the year, unless they procceded from fome immoveable caufe, fuch as the enlarges ment of the bone preffing upon the fenforium, or other fimilar cafes.

Doctor Thomas Gifburne examined.-As

thofe in fimilar circumstances have often recovered, I hope his Majefty will. A majori ty of them have recovered.-I think the duration of his Majefty's illness cannot be afcertained.

ANECDOTE of CONGREVE and RowE. MR R Congreve happening to have fome fnuff which Mr Rowe the poet took a fancy to, he fent his box feveral times to be replenished. At length Mr Congreve thinking him too importunate, gave him a gentle reproof, by writing with a pencil, on the lid of the box, the two Greek letters ! P. This being told to Dennis, he declared he was fure the man who was capable of making fo vile a pun would not fcruple to pick pockets.

Hogarth from this story probably took the hint of his Eta Beta Pye.

NEW BOOKS.

The Opinions of Sarah Duchess Dowager of Marlborough. Published from original MSS. fmall 800. 2s. boards. Creech. THE Editor, in his preface, informs

us, that this "felection is made from MSS. which begin in the year 1736-7, and end in the year 1741-2; and I can with great truth aver, that the MSS. fell into my hands by mere accident. As the original abounds in pri vate hiftory, I might have gratified the prevailing tafte for anecdotes with lar ger and more interesting transcripts. This however I have induftriously avoided. What the Duchefs thought of princes and flatefmen I communicate without feruple; for princes and statef men will find apologifts enough, no lefs ready to vindicate than the to cenfure. Yet that the reader might be enabled more thoroughly to judge of her turn of mind, I have ventured to publish her harsh opinions of fome perfons of eminent rank, although neither princes nor statesmen: but this liberty has been taken fpatingly, and only when it was in my power to detect her mistakes by

the evidence of facts. I have chofen to

prefix to this mifcellany the fimple title of "The Opinions of Sarah Duchefs Dowager of Marlborough." With very little trouble I might have moulded my materials, according to the French fafhion, into A Political Teftament: And had I been difpofed to adopt a hint given by Mr Horace Walpole, I might have called them, The Effufions of Caprice and Arrogance,"

From this curious publication we shall give a few extracts.

Queen Anne.

Queen Anne had a perfon and appear ance very graceful, fomething of majesty in her look. She was religious without any affectation; and certainly meant to do every thing that was juft. She had no ambition; which appeared by her being fo eafy in letting King William come before her to the crown, after the King her father had followed fuch counfels as

made the nation fee they could not be fafe in their religion and laws, without coming to the extremities they did. And the thought it more for her honour to be eafy in it, than to make a difpute, who fhould have the crown firft, that was taken from her father. And it was a great trouble to her to be forced to act

fuch

fuch a part against him, even for fecurity, which was truly the case; and fhe thought those that shewed the leaft ambition had the best character. Her journey to Nottingham was purely accidental, never concerted, but occafioned by the great fright he was in when the King returned from Salisbury, upon which she said, the would jump out at [the] window rather than ftay and fee her father; and upon that fent to the Bishop of London, to confult with others what the fhould do; who came with the Earl of Dorfet, and carried her into the city, and from thence to Nottingham. She was never expenfive, but faved money out of her L. 50,000 a-year, which, after she came to the crown, was paid to Prince George of Denmark, which was his by right. She made no foolish buildings, nor bought one jewel in the whole time of her reign. She always paid the greateft respect imaginable to King William and Queen Mary, and never infifted upon any one thing of grandeur more than he had when her family was eftablished by King Charles II.; though after the Revolution fhe was [heir-prefumptive to the crown, and after her filter died, was] in the place of a Prince of Wales. The civil lift revenue was not increased on her having the crown; and the late Earl of Godolphin, who was treasurer, often faid, that from accidents in the customs, and not ftraining things to hardships, the revenue did not come to, one year with another, more than 500,000l.; how ever, as it was found neceffary to have a war, to fecure England from the pow er of France, the contributed, for the eafe of the people, 100,000l. out of her own revenue, to leffen the expence, in one year: And out of her civil lift she paid a great many penfions given in for mer reigns, which have been fince thrown upon the public; and she gave the first fruits to be diftributed among the poor clergy. She was extremely well bred, and treated her chief ladies and fervants as if they had been her equals; and the never refused to give charity, when there was the leaft reafon for any body to afk it; and likewife paid the falaries of moft of her fifter's fervants, notwithstanding the hardships fhe had fuffered in King William's reign. And to fhew how good a manager she was for the public, till a very few years before she died, the never had but 20,000 l. a-year for her privy

Queen Caroline.

1737. [Long minutes concerning her laft ilinefs and death.] Her death afcribed to a mortification, proceeding from a concealed or neglected hernia.

1737. The Queen, in her illness, defired leave to make a will, which the did; gave no legacy to any one, but left all to his Majefty; and it was fo worded, as I am told, that it takes in all the had in England, or in any banks in other countries. Her jewels are worth a great fum: But all that belonged to Queen Anne, Queen Mary, &c. fhe could no more ditpofe of, than of St James's or Hampton Court.

1737. Our bishops are now about to employ hands to write the fineft character that ever was heard of Queen Caroline; who, as it is not treason, I freely own I am glad the is dead. For to get money, that has proved of no manner of ufe to her, and to fupport Sir Robert in all his arbitrary injuftice, [the] brought this nation upon the very brink of ruin, and has endangered the fucceffion of her own family, by raifing so high a diffatisfaction in the whole nation, as there is to them all, and by giving fo much power to France, whenever they think fit to make use of it, who will have no mercy upon England.

1737. His Majefty thinks he has loft

the

the greatest politician that ever was born, and one that did him the greatest service, that was poffible; though every body elfe that knows the truth muft acknowledge that it was quite the contrary.

1737-8. Upon her great understanding and goodness there comes out nauseous panegyrics every day, that make one fick, fo full of nonfenfe and lies, that almost every body knows to be fo; and there is one very remarkable from a Dr Clarke, in order to have the firft bishoprick that falls, and I dare fay he will have it, though there is fomething extremely ridiculous in the panegyric; for, after he has given her the most perfect character that ever any woman had or can have, he allows, that "she had facrificed her reputation to the great and the ma ny, to fhew her duty to the King, and her love to her country." Thefe are the clergyman's words exactly, which allows she did wrong things, but it was to please the King; which is condemning him. I fuppofe he must mean some good fhe did to her own country, for I know of none fhe did in England, unless raking from the public deferves a panegyric.

Forebodings.

1738-9. I compare our fituation to a fhip near finking, which can't be faved but by fome extraordinary accident, which may poffibly happen, but much more likely not to happen; and the generality of the world are fo worthless, that I am pretty indifferent when the total ruin comes. As far as any thing depends upon me, I am fure nothing can hinder me from acting as I have done; and, as I can't live long, I am fure they can't do any thing that will quite ftarve me, who never had one grain of vanity in my inclination.-I think in all ages there have been as bad men, and fome worfe, than Sir Robert. 'Tis true he has impoverished and ruined his country for power and gain; but he could have done no mifchief if men of great fortunes had not affifted him; which will certainly end in the ruin of themselves and their posterity; and I am fure I have not the honour to be acquainted, or to have the leaft intimacy with many that are not fools; and I know of no remedy against that.

1739. Though others had hopes, I never had any: though I find several people who are fo fanguine as to think ftill that England will be faved, I cannot for my life fee which way; fince Sir Robert has

all the money and power, and there are fuch number of fools and knaves to fupport whatever he has done or fhall do.

1739. Sir Robert could not help a war; but he will manage it fo that nothing fhall be got by it, by ill conduct, after all the people's money is drained from them, which he will get and dispose of in corruption. I can't live long enough to want neceffaries, having bought land enough to produce beef and mutton at very dear rates, which makes my produce very little in comparifon of money at intereft; but ftill 'twill fupport one, unless an entire conqueft come. But, notwithstanding this, my jointure and more than half of my property remains, and I cannot help it, in the governmentfunds and fecurities; and I expect in fome time to have them sponged off, by faying, there is no help for the neceffity of the public but by ftorping payments, but that they will pay them when they can.-All this I firmly believe will hap

pen.

George II.

1737. I know one, a confiderable man, who has feen the King once fince this misfortune, [the death of the Queen], and though it was one the King would have difguifed himself to if he could poffibly, he fays he never in his life [faw] any one fo dejected, and that he look'd as if he had loft his crown.

This puts me in mind of a thing that happened many years ago, which fhews that his Majefty will hear reason when any one dares to speak it. There was a perfon that was refufed a thing by his Majefty and the minifter, that he thought justice and his due; upon which he defired an audience, in which he represented what he thought proper: But his Majefty looked very angry; and upon this the perfon, as he was going to speak, interrupted him, begged his pardon for it, and added, that he begged, before his Majefty gave him his aniwer, that he would confider he was a gentleman. This changed his Majesty's countenance, and he complied with what was defired.

1737. His Majefty faw the Queen's women-fervants firft, which was a very mournful fight, for they all cried extremely; and his Majefty was fo affected that he began to speak, but went out of the room to recover himself; and yefterday he faw the foreign minifters and his horfes, which I remember Dean Swift gives a great character of; and was forry

to