314 GIBBON. 



his intention of going to Sheffield Place in a few days. 

 He visited Lord Auckland in Kent ; he returned to dine 

 with the Chancellor, (Lord Loughborough,) and met there 

 Mr. Pitt, with Burke and Windham; and before the 

 middle of December he reached Lord Sheffield's. While 

 there he was observed to be exceedingly changed, though 

 in London, a few days before, his conversation had been 

 as lively and animated as ever. He moved about with 

 difficulty ; he often retired to his room ; the formation of 

 water again showed itself; his appetite began to fail ; and 

 he observed, it was a bad sign with him when he could 

 not eat at breakfast the only desponding expression that 

 escaped him. Fever now made its appearance, and Lord 

 Sheffield recommended his removal to London, where he 

 went by a very painful journey on the 6th of January. 

 Two days after, Lord Sheffield joined him, and a third 

 operation relieved him of six quarts. His spirits were 

 revived by this relief, and when his friend left town, he 

 reckoned upon being able to go out in a day or two ; but 

 on the 1 5th he was taken violently ill in the night, and 

 he died the following day, 16th January, 1794. Two 

 days before, he had received the visit of Lady Spencer 

 and her mother Lady Lucan; and on the next day he 

 rose and saw several friends, with whom conversing as 

 late as five in the evening, the talk fell on a favourite 

 topic with him, the probable duration of his life, which 

 he fixed at ten years at least, perhaps twelve, and perhaps 

 twenty. In less than two hours he became drowsy, passed 

 an exceedingly bad night, and though in the morning 

 he found himself better and got up, he was persuaded to 

 retire again into his bed, in which he expired before one 

 o'clock. His servant said, that he never at any time 



