which Mr. Grenville said: "I earnestly wish you would answer the
questions I put to you about your own business with a little more
punctuality. I know your other avocations; but you cannot conceive how
distressing your silence often is to me."

In the above letter, which is marked "most secret," we have the first
announcement of the King's illness and its origin. The utmost pains were
taken to conceal it from the public; and two days afterwards the King
went to the levee, to dissipate suspicion. "I find from Pitt," says Mr.
Grenville, writing on the 25th, "that the King went to the levee
yesterday, in order to show himself, but that he was very weak and unfit
for business." The effect of the appearance at the levee is subsequently
described.

MR. W. W. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.

Whitehall, Oct. 26th, 1788.

My dear Brother,

I am very sorry to be obliged to give you a less favourable
account of the King's health than that which you received by my
last letter. His appearance at the levee on Friday was an effort
beyond his strength, but made with a view of putting an end to
the stories that were circulated with much industry. He has,
however, considerably weakened himself by it, and his physician
now declares that rest, and an absolute cessation from all
business, are of indispensable necessity to him. I am much
mortified at the delay which this occasions in the final
conclusion of the business about your commissions; but you must
easily see that, in the present crisis, it must be productive of
other bad consequences, which you would yourself think of more
importance. God knows what the result of it will be. The present
situation is sufficiently embarrassing; but if it turns out ill,
all sense of personal inconvenience, mortification, or
disappointment, will, I fear, be lost in considerations of
infinitely greater moment. At present, however, there is, I
believe, unquestionably no danger; but I cannot divest myself of
the persuasion that these are only the symptoms of some disorder
lurking in his constitution, and which he has not sufficient
strength of habit to throw out. I need not say that you may
depend upon hearing from me as often as I hear anything
authentic as to his situation, and that if I do not write
constantly, it will only be because I have nothing new to
communicate on which