BATH,November 28,1765
MY DEAR FRIEND:I have this moment received your letter of the l0th.
I have now been here a month,bathing and drinking the waters,for complaints much of the same kind as yours,I mean pains in my legs,hips,and arms:whether gouty or rheumatic,God knows;but,I believe,both,that fight without a decision in favor of either,and have absolutely reduced me to the miserable situation of the Sphinx's riddle,to walk upon three legs;that is,with the assistance of my stick,to walk,or rather hobble,very indifferently.I wish it were a declared gout,which is the distemper of a gentleman;whereas the rheumatism is the distemper of a hackney-coachman or chairman,who is obliged to be out in all weathers and at all hours.
I think you will do very right to ask leave,and I dare say you will easily get it,to go to the baths in Suabia ;that is,supposing that you have consulted some skillful physician,if such a one there be,either at Dresden or at Leipsic,about the nature of your distemper,and the nature of those baths;but,'suos quisque patimur manes'.We have but a bad bargain,God knows,of this life,and patience is the only way not to make bad worse.Mr.Pitt keeps his bed here,with a very real gout,and not a political one,as is often suspected.
Here has been a congress of most of the 'ex Ministres'.If they have raised a battery,as I suppose they have,it is a masked one,for nothing has transpired ;only they confess that they intend a most vigorous attack.'D'ailleurs',there seems to be a total suspension of all business,till the meeting of the parliament,and then 'Signa canant'.
I am very glad that at this time you are out of it:and for reasons that I need not mention:you would certainly have been sent for over,and,as before,not paid for your journey.
Poor Harte is very ill,and condemned to the Hot well at Bristol.He is a better poet than philosopher:for all this illness and melancholy proceeds originally from the ill success of his "Gustavus Adolphus."He is grown extremely devout,which I am very glad of,because that is always a comfort to the afflicted.
I cannot present Mr.Larpent with my New-Year's gift,till I come to town,which will be before Christmas at farthest;till when,God bless you!Adieu.