1830.] [ 571 ] 



NOTES OF THE MONTH ON AFFAIRS IN GENERAL. 



THE loyal feelings of the empire have been kept in great anxiety by 

 the state of the King's health. Without pretending to any Persian adora- 

 tion for the throne, we know from many circumstances, and some of 

 them of no remote occurrence, that the continuance of the King's life is 

 one of the best pledges for the public security. We look to the future 

 with no confidence in the benefits that the country would derive from 

 change ; and in this full belief we echo the national sentiment, and say, 

 " Long live the King !" 



The first notice of his Majesty's illness was in the following : 



" Official. We are concerned to announce that the King is not suf- 

 ficiently well to come to town, and has commanded that the celebration 

 of His Majesty's birth- day, his levee, and his drawing-room, should be 

 postponed for a fortnight." 



BULLETIN. Windsor Castle, April 15, 1830. We regret to state 

 that the King has had a bilious attack, accompanied by an embarrass- 

 ment in breathing. His Majesty, although free from fever, is languid 

 and weak. " HENRY HALFORD. 



" MATTHEW JOHN TIERNEY." 



The public alarm was in some degree diminished by reports of his 

 having had some sleep, and the non-appearance of bulletins on the 

 Saturday and Sunday following. It was, however, speedily re-excited 

 by the report that water was forming in the chest, and that sleep was 

 procured only by laudanum. On Tuesday the following appeared in 

 the Court Circular : 



" His Majesty's health has not, we regret to state, improved to that 

 degree as was anticipated from the favourable state in which the King 

 appeared on Saturday. Sir Henry Halford and Sir Matthew Tierney 

 remained in attendance on his Majesty during Sunday night. The two 

 medical gentlemen held a consultation yesterday morning at the Palace, 

 previous to their leaving for London, and agreed upon the following bul- 

 letin for the information of the public : 



" Windsor Castle, April 19, 1830. His Majesty continues to suffer 

 occasionally from attacks of embarrassment in his breathing. 



" HENRY HALFORD. 

 " MATTHEW JOHN TIERNEY. 



" His Majesty may be considered to be rather better than when the 

 first bulletin of the state of his health was issued; certainly not worse. Nei- 

 ther of the physicians were in attendance on the King during yesterday." 



On the following day there was an improvement, and the following 

 was communicated on the authority above quoted : 



" We have great satisfaction in being enabled to state that his Ma- 

 jesty passed a pretty good night on Tuesday, and experienced less dif- 

 ficulty from his complaint yesterday." 



Thursday brought still more cheering intelligence ; it ran thus : 



" His Majesty passed another good night on Wednesday, and yester- 

 day morning the following bulletin, which confirms the previous favour- 

 able statements of his Majesty's health, was issued. It will be seen that 

 only one physician now attends the King : 



" Windsor Castle, April 22. The King is better. 



f - HENRY HALFORD. 



" His, Majesty signed a number of official warrants and documents on 



4D2 



