to any combination which might result
in the return of Pitt to power. The parliamentary session was resumed on
February 1, but the course of events was complicated by a recurrence of
the king's malady. Symptoms of this were observed towards the end of
January; the disease took a turn for the worse about February 12, and on
the 14th it was made known to the public. For a short time the king's
life appeared to be in danger; his reason was affected during a longer
interval, but the attack was in every way milder than in 1789, and on
March 7 Dr. Simmons reported to Addington that "the king was competent
to perform any act of government".[19] It is true that for many months
the king's health did not allow him to give his full attention to public
business, but there was nothing to prevent him from attending to such
routine work as was absolutely necessary. There could, however, be no
question of a change of ministers till there should be a marked
improvement in the king's health.

The king's illness was made the occasion on February 27 of a motion by
Sir Robert Lawley for the adjournment of the house of commons. This was
parried by Addington with the statement that there was no necessary
suspension of such royal functions as it might be necessary for His
Majesty to discharge at the present moment.[20] The emphasis here
obviously lay on the word "necessary". A still bolder course was adopted
shortly afterwards by the lord chancellor. When on March 9 the king's
assent to several bills was given by commission, Fitzwilliam raised not
unreasonable doubts as to whether the king was capable of resuming the
functions of government. Eldon, however, declared that, as the result of
a private interview with the king, he had come to the conclusion that
the royal commissioners were warranted in assenting to the bills in
question. Whether the chancellor was justified in assuming this
responsibility must remain doubtful; at all events Pitt seems to have
determined that the time was now ripe for a ministerial crisis. He had
on February 27 criticised both the military and naval defences of the
country, but he would not directly attack the government till the king's
health was in a better condition. At last, on March 15, the first attack
was made. Pitt selected the weak point in the administration. St.
Vincent's obstinacy in refusing to believe in the possibility of a
renewal of hostility and his excessive economy had brought about a
marked det