hat an idea had been entertained of its proceeding
from some local cause, such as water on the brain, or some change in
the texture of the brain itself, by induration or ossification.
Warren has decidedly said, that he is satisfied this is entirely out
of the question; this he told Pitt in express terms. The cause to
which they all agree to ascribe it, is the force of a humour which
was beginning to show itself in the legs, when the King's imprudence
drove it from thence into the bowels; and the medicines which they
were then obliged to use for the preservation of his life, have
repelled it upon the brain. The consequence of this opinion is so
plain, that there certainly requires no professional skill to know
that his recovery must depend upon this single circumstance, whether
there is, or is not strength enough in his constitution to throw off
this humour by any other channel. The physicians are now
endeavouring, by warm baths, and by great warmth of covering, to
bring it down again into the legs, which nature had originally
pointed out as the best mode of discharge.

I was mentioning these circumstances yesterday to a person who lives
in intimacy with John Hunter, the anatomist. He told me that they
had been all stated to him three days ago, by Hunter, who had
collected them from the different inquiries he had made. Hunter
added, that we must still expect for some days, and perhaps even
weeks, to hear of no decisive alteration, but possibly of some
occasional variation from day to day; that at the end of this it
would probably come to some sort of crisis, by which it would appear
whether there was strength enough in the constitution to prevail
over the disease; that all he had heard of the manner of the King's
life, did unquestionably make him an unfavourable subject for such a
struggle, but that if it was the case of any common man, he should
have no hesitation in pronouncing even now that it would be very bad
luck indeed if he did not recover, and that the chances were nine to
one in his favour. You will easily suppose that this was said under
the seal of confidence, and that a professional man would not choose
to have his name quoted in a case of so much importance in which he
is not employed, and in which his opinions may be either founded at