by that violent fever which seized him at Ghent on his way to
England, and perhaps the more severely for the efforts he made to push on
his journey, though he had for some days been much indisposed. It was, I
think, one of the first fits of severe illness he had ever met with, and
he was ready to look upon it as a sudden call into eternity; but it gave
him no painful alarm in that view. He committed himself to the God of his
life, and in a few weeks he was so well recovered as to be capable of
pursuing his journey, though not without difficulty. I cannot but think
it might have conduced much to a more perfect recovery than he ever
attained, to have allowed himself a longer repose, in order to recruit
his exhausted strength and spirits. But there was an activity in his
temper not easy to be restrained, and it was now stimulated, not only
with a desire to see his friends, but of being with his regiment, that
he might omit nothing in his power to regulate their morals and their
discipline, and to form them for public service. Accordingly, about the
middle of June, 1743, he passed through London, where he had the honour
of waiting on their royal highnesses, the Prince and Princess of Wales,
and of receiving from both the most obliging token of favour and esteem.
He arrived at Northampton on Monday the 21st of June, and spent part of
three days there. But the great pleasure which his return and preferment
gave us, was much abated by observing his countenance so sadly altered,
and the many marks of languor and remaining disorder which evidently
appeared, so that he really looked ten years older than he had done
ten months before. I had, however, a satisfaction sufficient to
counterbalance much of the concern which this alteration gave me, in a
renewed opportunity of observing, indeed more sensibly than ever, in
how remarkable a degree he was dead to the enjoyments and views of this
mortal life. When I congratulated him on the favourable appearances of
Providence for him in the late event, he briefly told me the remarkable
circumstances that attended it, with the most genuine expressions of
gratitude to God for them; but added, "that as his account was increased
with his income, power, influence, and his cares were proportionably
increased too, it was, as to his own personal concern, much the same to
him whether he had remained in his former station, or been elevated to
this; but that if God should by this means honour him as an