'My breath is now much easier, and the water is in a great measure run
away, so that I hope to see you again before winter.
'Please to make my compliments to Mrs. Perkins, and to Mr. and Mrs.
Barclay.
'I am, dear Sir, 'Your most humble servant, 'SAM. JOHNSON.' 'Lichfield,
Oct. 4, 1784.'
'To THE RIGHT HON. WILLIAM GERARD HAMILTON. 'DEAR SIR,
'Considering what reason[1124] you gave me in the spring to conclude
that you took part in whatever good or evil might befal me, I ought not
to have omitted so long the account which I am now about to give you. My
diseases are an asthma and a dropsy, and, what is less curable,
seventy-five. Of the dropsy, in the beginning of the summer, or in the
spring, I recovered to a degree which struck with wonder both me and my
physicians: the asthma now is likewise, for a time, very much relieved.
I went to Oxford, where the asthma was very tyrannical, and the dropsy
began again to threaten me; but seasonable physick stopped the
inundation: I then returned to London, and in July took a resolution to
visit Staffordshire and Derbyshire, where I am yet struggling with my
diseases.
Pages:
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472