of chime. The floor is of oak, covered with a carpet of rich crimson, with scroll devices in orange.*

For the original of the annexed Engraving, our thanks are specially due to our ingenious correspondent, Mr. Wilkinson, the architect, whose taste we beg to compliment on the intricate elegance with which he has finished the original drawing.

bably recommended by his Majesty's medical advisers, as the best means of retarding the progress of the disease.

Towards the end of March his Majesty discontinued his excursions, and it was announced that he had caught a slight cold, which was probably only a symptom of a disease which continues long in the constitution, and is sometimes imperceptible, even to the most acute physician. Yet it can hardly be

THE KING'S ILLNESS.+ MEDICAL men know that a tendency to dropsy lurks in the constitution, and that it is peculiarly apt to attack constitutions, in their decline, which have in their earlier days been of a full habit. The vessels, less distended by the natural juices, are filled by a serous liquid, which constantly accumulates in proportion as the tone of the solids is more re

laxed and the powers of assimilation in the digestive organs are diminished. It is very true, however, that extraordinary and weakening evacuations, as bleeding, or the stopping of the natural evacuations, as by a sudden chill, will generate dropsy. His Majesty was inclined to attribute his illness partly to both these causes to repeated small bleedings for an inflammation in the chest during the month of January, and to a cold, which was the first event that was brought under public notice in connexion with

his illness.

There is some reason to think that his Majesty's medical advisers were aware of the nature of the disorder perhaps as early as January, and that the bleedings were in consequence of a new, and, it is believed, successful mode of treating inflammatory dropsy. About this time a stranger had arrived at Windsor, who was very importunate to obtain an audience of his Majesty, and many speculations were entered into respecting the object of his visit. His name was said to be Newton, and he

was known to Sir R. Birnie.

In the beginning of March, it was stated that his Majesty took exercise for three hours every day in the Great Park, Windsor, by driving himself in his pony phaeton to inspect the Royal Lodge improvements, in which it was his intention to take up his abode on the 1st of June; but on the 1st of June he was on his death-bed. The exercise was pro

In the annexed Engraving, the furniture of the room is purposely omitted, to give better effect to the enrichments of the walls and ceiling.

From the Globe newspaper-though somewhat abridged.

from this, though colds frequently do lay the foundation of dropsy. His Majesty at this time was confined for a short period to his bedchamber; but he was soon able again to honour his distinguished visiters with his presence at din

ner. About this period also he lost one of the oldest and most attached of his attendants, Sir Edmund Nagle-a loss which, added to the increase of his infirmities, his Majesty severely felt.

On the last few days of March the airings in the park were resumed, and it was announced that his Majesty would leave the Castle for London on the 21st or 22nd of April, to reside for five weeks in St. James's.

In the beginning of April, the visits of one his Majesty's physicians, Sir Henry Halford, to the Castle were generally noticed; but as they were not of such frequency or haste as to cause any suspicion of immediate danger, the pub-. lic forgot that there are some maladies which, though slow in their operation, are far more dangerous than the most acute diseases. In well-informed quarters the nature of the disease had been understood before; though a certain delicacy towards his Majesty prevented the announcement of it in the papers; but receipts for the cure of asthma and dropsy became very numerous in the public prints even at an earlier period.

The first severe attack of his Majesty appears to have been a spasmodic affection of the bowels, attended with a slight hiccup. The proper methods were applied: opening medicines and medicines to promote the evacuations were administered. Preparations were made to hold a levee and birth-day court at St. James's, and his Majesty held a court, April 7, at Windsor.

On April the 8th, in company with the Lord Steward, he rode out in his pony phaeton, with several of his attendants in another phaeton. He visited the Home Park and private drives by Frogmore Lodge, and the improvements at the plantations to the Royal Lodge. He then proceeded to Virginia Water and Belvidere, and returned by China Island,

Sandpit-gate, Queen Ann's Ride, and Sheet-street-road, to the Castle, where he honoured the company with his presence at dinner. Lord and Lady Strathaven, and the Bishop of Chichester visited his Majesty, with whom they continued to reside for some time.

On April the 11th, the King, accompanied by the Lord Steward, and Lord and Lady Strathaven, and the household, attended Divine Service in the grand music room, the Bishop of Chichester officiating.

On Monday, the 12th of April, his Majesty again rode out, but in the night his Majesty's illness increased, and Sir Henry Halford, according to his usual practice in such cases, slept at the Castle. He left in the morning, but again returned on Tuesday evening. He again went to town on Wednesday morning, but returned to Windsor, and as the King's illness still increased, he sent for Sir Matthew Tierney at an early hour on Thursday morning. They immediately held a consultation, and issued the first bulletin, a few minutes before one, on Thursday, April the 15th. This bulletin was as follows:

"Windsor Castle, April 15. "We regret to state that the King has had a bilious attack, accompanied by an embarrassment in breathing. His Majesty, although free from fever, is languid and weak."

This bulletin has given rise to many criticisms, and it must be apparent that either his Majesty himself was ignorant of the nature of his disease, and that his physicians wished to keep him so, or that his physicians were themselves, in his case, ignorant of the nature of a disease whose diagnosis is never very difficult. The former supposition is infinitely the more probable of the two. This bulletin was addressed partly to the King himself, and partly to the public. It gave the latter to understand that their sovereign was in danger, while it did not inform his Majesty of what none of his subjects could have desired him to be informed of-that his doom was sealed, and that a few months must terminate his career on earth. To look on certain death for days beforehand is, perhaps, the bitterest part of a criminal's sufferings; but surely no one would have inflicted that torture on Majesty for months. We dispute not the firmness of George the Fourth; but this would have been putting it to an unnecessary ordeal. Sir H. Halford set out from the Castle soon after issuing the bulletin, leaving Sir M. Tierney in at

It

Ac

tendance, who remained all night. had now apparently been settled that the physicians should relieve each other-an arrangement which implied no immediate danger, as one physician could not take upon him to issue a bulletin. cordingly no bulletin was issued on Friday, April the 16th; and it was merely announced in the Court Circular, that the symptoms of his Majesty's disease were rather more favourable. His Majesty also passed a more comfortable night than he had before been able to do, the nature of his disease, which is seldom attended with fever, or any thing but debility and unfitness for exercise, rendering sleep almost impracticable, and, in fact, dangerous, unless with his head in an extremely elevated position. But flattering hopes were at this time entertained by his Majesty of a return of strength; and to indulge these hopes, the physicians both left Windsor on Saturday by his desire, but Sir H. Halford returned in the evening. The treatment of the physicians was what is usual on such occasions-promoting the liquid evacuations; but at the same time avoiding to debilitate too much his system, and endeavouring to restore its tone by the various resources which their skill supplied. On Sunday night it was thought necessary that both physicians should remain in attendance on his Ma jesty, principally for the purpose of issuing a joint bulletin on Monday morning. This second bulletin was as follows:

"Windsor Castle, April 19, 1830. "His Majesty continues to suffer occasionally from attacks of embarrass ment of his breathing."

The physicians had contented themselves with endeavouring to mitigate symptoms, and their treatment produced an apparent improvement; but they could not venture to make themselves responsible for a total concealment o. his danger.

The Duke of Cumberland called that day. Both Sir H. Halford and Sir M. Tierney returned to town on Monday, but the former was at Windsor again in the evening; and on his return next morning, he had an interview with the Duke of Wellington, in which certain explanɛtions were given. The Duchess of Gloucester saw his Majesty the same day (Tuesday, the 20th), by invitation.

It was now pretty generally understood that his Majesty's complaint was dropsy. No physician was in attendance during the day. The symptoms were mitigated, and the King himself caused, on Thursday morning, a bul

letin to be issued, signed by Sir H. Halford, alone, in the following laconic terms:

"Windsor Castle, April 22, 1830. "The King is better.

"H. HALFORD." His Majesty was able to sign several official documents that day. On Friday the same favourable appearances continued, and the Duke of Clarence visited his Majesty.

The next bulletin was as follows:"Windsor Castle, April 24, 1830. "The King has passed two good nights, and continues better.

"H. HALFORD."

It had been found necessary to have recourse to scarification for the removal of the fluid for the moment, and this operation was performed by Mr. O'Reilly.

The well-informed were not deceived by flattering accounts. Sir H. Halford became uneasy about the responsibility which he took upon himself in signing the bulletins alone, and on Monday morning the two physicians to his Majesty held a consultation, at which it was determined to issue the following bulletin:

"Windsor Castle, April 26, 1830. "The state of the King's health continues much the same.

"His Majesty has passed a good night.

"H. HALFord.

"M. TIERNEY.",

The symptoms were now again becoming unfavourable, and it was determined to issue daily bulletins, signed by both physicians.

On April 29, the Lord Chamberlain issued an order deferring the levee and drawing-room, which were to be held on the 5th and 7th of May, in celebration of his Majesty's birth-day. Occasional gleams of relief occurred in the beginning of May, but of very partial consequences. The physicians had now found it necessary to discontinue the more active medicines, and to lay more stress on gentler remedies and diet. The Duke of Sussex, early in May, sent his Majesty a chair of a peculiar construction, adapted to the circumstances of his case; and this attention was deeply felt by his Majesty. During this period Mr. Brodie had performed the operation of puncturing the legs-an operation which at best only affords temporary relief, and is attended with great danger of mortification. The operations which his Majesty had now undergone, though they prolonged his life, caused

him pains from which he had before been free, and at this time his torture was said to be so great as to have extinguished in him all desire of living. The symptoms, however, again abated, and the immediate fear of mortification proved ungrounded. The punctures showed a tendency to heal, and the operation, of course, was attended with temporary benefit. The symptoms alternated repeatedly, and operations were performed when necessary; but the danger now became daily more imminent.

The principal seat of the disease was now stated to be the chest. Less active medicines were employed as the strength of the patient declined; but his Majesty was still able to read the public prints daily. About the middle of May there was an improvement in the symptoms, and his Majesty took some exercise in a wheel chair in the picture gallery. The King suffered less from the asthmatic and spasmodic symptoms, but during the last week of May another unfavourable turn took place. It was obvious to every one who understood the nature of his Majesty's disease, that these repeated changes were connected with the operations and active remedies which were

adopted whenever the symptoms threatened a crisis. The puncturing is not in itself a very painful operation, as it condistended skin a very fine needle, which sists merely in introducing under the makes a wound scarcely visible; but the inflammation which resulted from the scarifications produced a local disease, which had equally to be guarded against, as it might have ended in mortification. It was understood that setons had been tried with a partial good effect. On the 5th of June the most alarming announcements were made. Expresses were sent off to the members of the Royal Family and to the Duke of Wellington, to inform them of his immediate danger. The puncturing was again applied, but with less benefit. On June the 9th his Majesty was so much worse that the physicians deliberated on issuing a second bulletin; but his Majesty himself decidedly opposed it; and, in fact, even at this period the royal sufferer does not appear to have considered himself in imminent danger. His constitution still bore up against the disease, and about the 12th inst. the anxiety which had pervaded all classes, in the expectation of an immediate demise was in some degree removed. It was now generally supposed, that though his Majesty was incurable, he might live many weeks, and public curiosity partially subsided. His Majesty's respiration was announced to be

easy, and the physicians in their bulletin said he felt better. It was rumoured, and correctly, that an operation was performed about this period, or rather previous to the last amelioration of his symptoms. This operation was of a more serious nature than any before performed. This was in some degree denied, but, we are assured, upon insufficient grounds.

The Globe was the first newspaper to announce to the public, from those channels of information which it had all along possessed, being only restrained by certain considerations of delicacy from making full use of them-that "his Majesty had a very troublesome cough, with considerable expectoration." It had been known that there was thoracic disease as well as dropsy; and it was now said that an abscess had burst in the chest a fact which seemed confirmed by the presence of pus in the mucus evacuated. As to the relief which his Majesty is said to have received from diuretics, there is no doubt but they must have been beneficial, and the physicians would have been very blamable in neglecting them; but according to some accounts an operation was at this time performed-the expectoration was also an effect in some measure of medicine, and it was found necessary in order to prevent suffocation. It was now evident that a crisis was near. The cough was supposed to be dependent upon the impeded flow of blood through the left side of the heart, by which it was thrown back upon the lungs, so as to produce congestion." "Considerable portions of the lungs were consolidated (says the Medical Gazette,) from the previous attacks of inflammation with which his Majesty has repeatedly been afflicted, and hence any additional affection adds greatly to the difficulty with which the respiratory organs perform their functions. Had the King possessed sufficient strength to have borne the depletion, we believe that venesection would have been adopted, but the debility rendered this altogether inadmissible, and the speedy supervention of copious secretion from the mucous membrane of the air passages relieved the state of congestion, though it unavoidably brought on cough. More lately the expectoration was mixed with blood-a very common occurrence in cases of this description, and dependent upon the impediment to the circulation above-mentioned. The overloaded vessels in this manner became relieved, and, except during the paroxysms of coughing, produced by the sputa in the air

cells, the sufferings of the royal patient were essentially mitigated. The debility continued undiminished; and his Majesty, though he partook of cooling and refreshing beverages, scarcely employed any thing in the shape of sustenance, except occasionally a little light farinaceous food.

LAST MOMENTS.

THE crisis was now fast approaching; yet the death of the King was not expected till Friday night (the 25th.) The physicians had, however, been aware that it would probably be sudden, and the royal sufferer was prepared to receive the awful summons with resignation and submission. His Majesty's phrase was, when this intimation was given to him a fortnight previous, "GOD's will be done." Within the last week he spoke but little, and in a tone quite faint, and sometimes almost inaudible and inarticulate. To speak so as to be heard in the chamber appeared to give him pain, and to require an effort beyond the remaining strength of his shattered constitution. Business of any kind became exceedingly irksome, and affected his temper.*

Late on Thursday there had been some symptoms which indicated a crisis of His Majesty's disorder: the expectorations became more tinged with blood, and appearances indicated that a rupture of some blood vessel had taken place. The King was himself aware of the inevitable result of these symptoms of his malady. He was reduced to the lowest degree of physical exhaustion; and the loss of any blood in that condition was, he knew, fatal.

In the course of Friday evening, (the 25th) before nine o'clock, the physicians intimated to the royal patient their inability to give him further relief, and their opinion that his last moments were rapidly approaching. To this communication his Majesty replied "GoD's will be done!" and in a few moments after, he asked, "Where is Chichester ?" The Bishop of Chichester was instantly summoned to the royal chamber, and, at his hands, the dying sovereign received the Sacrament. During the administration of this rite his Majesty was much less troubled by the cough than he had previously been. Towards midnight the physicians retired to rest,

For the last few days all documents, requiring the royal signature were stamped in the King's presence, by Commissioners appointed for the purpose. Previous to the stamping, his Majesty's verbal consent was, however, requisite: latterly the royal patient could scarcely whisper his assent.

leaving the King under the immediate care of Sir Wathen Waller, whose night turn it was to be in waiting, with Messrs. Batchelor and Kinnaird, two Pages of the household. His Majesty was now dozing, though he had slept little during the evening, and suffered much from his cough. His exhaustion was greatly increased. From eleven till three o'clock, his Majesty appeared to be suffering what is commonly called a restless sleep. He opened his eyes occasionally; and when he coughed he appeared to suffer more than the usual pain; but nothing occurred until three o'clock to indicate any particular change. The King then beckoned to Batchelor to change his position in the bed. His Majesty for the last two months slept partly in a bed in a raised position, and partly in a chair of peculiar construction, padded and cushioned, and capable of being elevated or turned so as to assist any mode of placing the body.

The King was in bed when the stroke of death fell upon him. The page next him instantly proceeded to raise his Majesty, according to the motion which he signified by his finger. The King was at once assisted to his chair, and a great alteration overcast the royal countenance the King's eyes became fixed, his lips quivered, and he appeared to be sinking into a fainting fit. The physicians were instantly sent for, and the attendants at once assisted the King with sal volatile, eau de Cologne, and such stimulants as were at hand on the table. At this moment his Majesty attempted to raise his hand to his breast, faintly ejaculating-"Oh, God! I am dying!" and after two or three seconds of time, he uttered the following words, which were his last, "THIS IS DEATH, his expiring condition barely enabling him to announce this fatal sensation, so as to be heard by the page on whose shoulder his Majesty's head had fallen. The King died exactly at thirteen minutes past three o'clock on Saturday morning. The physicians were not, it is generally said, in the chamber at the identical moment: they were the instant after, and assisted to place the royal corpse on a couch.*

This is the statement in the Times journal. Another, in the Morning Herald, reports the words-"Oh! this is not right!-this is death! Oh, GOD-I am dying!" to be the last and only distinct words uttered by the King after he bad received the Sacrament. The same account states-"From this time his dissolution came on so quietly, and so gradually, that the physicians had some difficulty in ascertaining precisely at what moment he ceased to exist. In the meantime, the Bishop of Chichester, and all the prinfinal members of the royal household, with the

The body having been thus removed, was covered with a fine linen sheet, turned down so as to expose a part of the bust. In this state the royal corpse was submitted to the view of the household, the outdoor servants, their families and acquaintance. They were freely admitted from about five in the morning until after eight, by which time several hundreds of persons had not only seen, but taken by the hand, their deceased sovereign. The scene which ensued, is described as very afflicting. Many of these persons had lived with the King for more than a quarter of a century, and had been attached to him by the warmest ties of affectionate duty; and some were observed to shed tears, indicating their sense of the loss of a liberal and indulgent master. It is said this exhibition of the royal remains was in strict accordance with a wish expressed by his late Majesty on the evening preceding his dissolution.

The

The stroke of death, it was manifest, had fallen lightly on the King. features were neither drawn nor distorted, but appeared in that serene and tranquil state which would have induced the belief that his Majesty still slept, and reminded the beholder that "sleep is elder brother to death." The King, it was observed, looked comparatively well; the cheeks, however, appeared rather sunk, and the abdomen much raised.t

During the afternoon, a shell was completed for the royal corpse, by an upholsterer in Windsor. The dimensions are six feet six inches by two feet six inches. It is composed of Spanish mahogany, filled and trimmed with rich white gros de Naples; the windingsheet of the same material.

On the following morning arrived Sir Astley Cooper, upon whom, as sergeantsurgeon, the examination and embalming of the Royal Body devolved. Sir Astley, accompanied by Sir Henry Halford and Sir Matthew Tierney, Mr. Brodie, and Mr. O'Reilley, surgeons, and Mr. Nussey, and certain officers of pages in immediate attendance, were called in, and, in their presence, without the slightest indication of suffering, his Majesty calmly expired. The principal persons present were the Bishop of Chichester, the physicians, the Marquess Conyngham, Sir Andrew Barnard, Sir William Keppell Sir William Knighton, Sir Wathen Waller, Lord Strathaven, and Colonel Thornton; and when the physicians had announced that his Majesty had ceased to exist, they retired, leaving the pages in attendance to perform the necessary attention to the royal corpse, under the superintendence of the physicians."

A friend and correspondent, who had the mournful satisfaction of viewing the royal corpse, describes its general appearance as we have above stated.