annoyed him more than any one proposing to be his companion on a Sunday.

His Royal Highness saw Sir Henry Halford on that day, and questioned him very closely as to his situation. Sir Henry told me that he had answered his questions fairly, and that he had found his Royal Highness in an excellent state of mind, and that he could not sufficiently admire the resolution and composure with which he sought for information and dwelt on the question of danger. He observed that there was no difficulty in dealing with such a patient.

His Royal Highness told me afterwards that Sir Henry Halford's conversation had confirmed the impression he had received from what Mr. Macgregor had said, and he expressed himself perfectly satisfied with it. His Royal Highness continued in good spirits and in the same composed state of mind on the 28th

and 29th.

On the latter day the Bishop of London came at a little before twelve, and his Royal Highness was alone with him for a short time, after which I was called in, and his Lordship administered the

sacrament to us.

The Duke's deportment was serious as became the occasion, but firm and quite free from agitation. He did not appear nervous or affected, although he must have perceived that neither the Bishop or I were free from either feeling.

The Bishop of London told me afterwards that nothing could be more correct or satisfactory than all his Royal Highness had said to him when they were alone, and that his state of mind was that in which he would wish, under such circumstances, to find that of any person in whose welfare he felt interested.

When I returned to the Duke of York he appeared more affected, and he assured me that he felt a comfort and relief which he could not describe, and that whatever might be the issue of his illness, he had done what he ought to do: that he could now attend to other matters with increased composure. In the afternoon, when I saw him again, he expressed to me how much he had been pleased with the Bishop of London's mild and encouraging discourse.

That he had stated to his Lordship unreservedly, that he knew his situation to be a very serious, though he trusted not a hopeless one, but that he did not choose to postpone a duty which he conceived ought to be performed while he was in the full possession of his faculties, which might yield to disease sooner than he was aware of. That he had in the course of his life faced death in various shapes, and was now doomed to view its approach in a slow and lingering form. That he did not deny that he should resign

his existence with regret, though he felt no alarm; he admitted that his life had not been pure, that there had been much in his course he wished had been otherwise. He had not thought so seriously on some subjects as he might have done, still he had endeavored to discharge his public duties correctly. He had forborne from injuring or deceiving any one, and he felt in peace and charity with all.

Under these circumstances, he hoped he might look with confidence to mercy, through the merits of his Redeemer; and he had appealed to him (the Bishop) on this occasion, not only to receive the confession of his unworthiness, but to administer that comfort which his situation required. That his reliance and his faith in the Christian religion were firm and decided, and that his adherence to the pure doctrine professed and established in this country was unshaken as it ever had been: that, as he had declared these sentiments in a political discussion on the question, he was anxious that it should be understood, and that the Bishop of London should be enabled to state hereafter, if the occasion should call for it, that those sentiments were not professed in a political sense, and from prejudice and party feelings, but they were firmly fixed in his mind, and were the result of due consideration and conviction, and produced by an earnest solicitude for the continued welfare of his country.

After saying this, his Royal Highness told me that he felt very comfortable, and that if it should please God to restore him to health, he was sure he should be a better man ever after. He considered this trial as a mercy for which he ought to feel grateful, it afforded him time for serious reflection, and he trusted that the time would not be ill applied. He then entered into some questions of military business with great composure.

His Royal Highness underwent the operation of tapping on the afternoon of the 3rd of September. It was performed by Mr. Macgregor, and it was borne by his Royal Highness with the same resolution and quiet composure which had marked his conduct under every stage of his illness. Colonel Stephenson and I saw him soon after. We found him a little exhausted, but cheerful, and quite free from nervous agitation.

About this period, he received the communication of the death of Sir Harry Calvert, by which he was much affected, and he observed that he had deeply to deplore the loss of an old and attached friend, and a religious and good man.

For some days after the operation he was very weak, and his left leg was in a state which occasioned serious uneasiness, nor was the appearance of the other leg satisfactory. On the 10th he examined the contents of some private boxes, and desired

that they might be left in his room, but considered as consigned to my charge. His situation gave his medical attendants serious uneasiness, and his Royal Highness was perfectly sensible of it, nor indeed did I disguise it from him when he questioned me.

Between the 12th and the 18th his Royal Highness gained strength, and his appetite and sleep improved, but the state of his legs continued unsatisfactory. On the 19th he began again to take his airings, but the improvement had not been such as to induce his medical attendants to consider his state otherwise than very critical. He continued to take daily airings until the 16th of October. During this interval he rallied occasionally, and his general health appeared at times to be improving, notwithstanding the state of his legs, which became gradually more unsatisfactory, and often occasioned excruciating pain throughout great part of the day. His Royal Highness frequently spoke to me of his own situation and feelings, more especially on the 22d of September, when he told me he did his best to submit with patience and resignation; that he tried to keep up his spirits, he met his friends cheerfully, endeavored to go correctly through what he had to do, and to occupy himself at other times with reading; but when left to his own thoughts, when he went to bed and lay awake, the situation was not agreeable: the contemplation of one's end, not to be met at once, nor within a short given period, but protracted possibly for months, required a struggle, and tried one's resolution. But after all, he did not know that he regretted it, nor that he regretted that time was given to him which had turned his mind to serious reflection, and which he was certain had been very beneficial to him. If it should please God that he should recover, he would become a better man: if he did not recover, he would have to thank God for the time afforded for reflection. I have noticed what passed on this day, to show that his feelings had undergone no change.

On the 10th of October, Mr. Macgregor desired that I should convey to his Royal Highness his wish that he would allow him to call in Sir Astley Cooper; that I would state that he had no reason to doubt his Royal Highness's confidence, but that a heavy responsibility was thrown on him, and that it might be satisfactory to his Royal Highness: it doubtless would be to himself to resort to further aid and advice, as the state of the legs had unfortunately formed so prominent a feature of the case; at the same time he was persuaded that Sir Astley Cooper would concur in all that he had done. When I mentioned it to his Royal Highness he objected, and assured me that he was perfectly satisfied with Mr. Macgregor's skill and attention, and that he would not, on any account, appear to show a doubt which he had never

felt, nor hurt Mr. Macgregor's feelings. I assured him that Mr. Macgregor was perfectly sensible of this; but that he owed it to his own feelings, and to his character as a professional man, to make this request. His Royal Highness then objected to the effect it might produce on the public, to its getting into the newspapers, &c. I observed that measures might be taken to prevent this, and he finally agreed to Mr. Macgregor speaking to Sir Henry Halford, and settling it with him.

Sir Astley Cooper attended accordingly on the 17th, and continued to do so during the remainder of his Royal Highness's illness. Notwithstanding every precaution, it was impossible to prevent it being soon noticed in the papers; and when his Royal Highness learnt this, he observed, that his chief motive for wishing it concealed was, the apprehension that it might excite unnecessary alarm, which, as connected with his station and situation, might embarrass the Government, and possibly influence the public funds. It could not affect him personally.

His Royal Highness's state fluctuated again between this period and the 6th of November, when there was a marked improvement in the condition of the legs, which continued until the 20th, when they again assumed an unfavorable appearance, which was the more to be lamented, as his Royal Highness's strength and constitutional powers had been giving way, his appetite and sleep began to fail, and the increasing evil was therefore to be met by impaired resources.

Towards the beginning of December his Royal Highness again rallied, so far as the legs were concerned, but his frame and constitution had evidently become weaker, and his Royal Highness himself expressed his apprehensions that his strength would not carry him through the protracted struggle.

Between the 8th and 17th of December there was again a sensible improvement in the legs, which might have raised the hopes of his Royal Highness's attendants, if the return of strength had kept pace with it; but he was visibly losing strength and substance, and on the 20th the legs resumed the appearance of mortification to an alarming extent, and the medical attendants agreed that his situation had become very critical.

:

Their apprehensions were still further excited on the 22d; his appetite had totally failed him, and other symptoms were equally unfavorable still he kept up his spirits, and although my language was any thing but encouraging, he appeared to feel sanguine of recovery. This impression was not justified by the opinion of the medical attendants, and I became very anxious that his Royal Highness should be made aware of the increased danger of his situation. I urged this point with Sir Henry Halford and Sir

Astley Cooper; assured them that they mistook his Royal Highness's character if they apprehended any ill effect from the disclo sure, and represented that it was due to his character and to his wish to discharge the duties which he still had to perform. In the course of the day they yielded to my representations, and authorised me to avail myself of any opening which his Royal Highness might give me to make him sensible of the increased anxiety and alarm which I observed in his physicians. I was to use my own discretion as to the mode, the nature, and the extent of the disclosure; it would probably produce reference to them, and they would then confirm the impression conveyed by me.

I saw his Royal Highness at five o'clock, when I took my official papers to him. He gave me the desired opportunity at once, by asking what the doctors said of him. His servant being in the room I gave no immediate answer, and he waited quietly until he had left the room, and then repeated the question.

I spoke to him as had been agreed with Sir Henry Halford, adding, that my own anxiety and the uneasiness I had already expressed to him had led me to watch the physicians, and to endeavor to extract from them what their real opinion was, but that they were cautious, and were evidently unwilling to authorise me to express their alarm. I could not, however, forget his Royal Highness's appeal to me in Audley-square, nor the pledge I had given him that I knew his Royal Highness did not wish to be taken by surprise; that I felt he ought not to be taken by surprise; and therefore I considered it my duty to disclose to him the uneasiness I felt. He listened with composure, and without betraying any agitation, but asked me whether the danger was immediate, whether it was a question of days?

I repeated that I was not authorised to say so, and I trusted it was not. He said " God's will be done; I am not afraid of dying, I trust I have done my duty: I have endeavored to do so. I know that my faults have been many, but God is merciful; his ways are inscrutable; I bow with submission to his will. I have at least not to reproach myself with having done all I could do to avert this crisis; but I own it has come on me by surprise. I knew that my case had not ceased to be free from danger; I have always been told so, but I did not suspect immediate danger; and had I been a timid or a nervous man, the effect might have been trying. I trust I have received this communication with becoming resolution." I observed that I had not for many days seen his Royal Highness more free from nervous agitation, and that I had not been disappointed in my expectation that he would bear this communication as he did that which I had been called