History of the Johnstones, 1191-1909, with ... - Electric Scotland

24° GOVERNOR JOHNSTONE'S ILLNESS
that they have been used with success even in winter, but I have heard lately
such accounts of the cold and exposed situation of Malvern that I wished
to know whether in his reduced state there may not be hazard in going there so
late in the year. He is very much set upon it, and the experiment is worth
trying if there be any probability that the waters at this time can be of service.
He means to go abroad about Xmas for the sake of a warm climate, and he has
been advised if Malvern fails to try Venlo's vegetable syrup. I own I wish him
to try Malvern, and I wish him to have the benefit of your advice. Hoping I
may hear from you by return of post as my brother thinks of setting out next
Tuesday I am, dear Sir, your most obedient. William Pulteney."
As Johnstone's reply was favourable, the next letter, dated Nov. 29, 1785,
from the Worcester Hotel, says: " My brother has bore the journey tolerably well.
We have travelled slow, but one of the days he was too much fatigued by
coming thirty-five miles from Oxford to Broadway. We go to-day to Malvern.
I write this to give you a caution. He has met with so many disappointments
from the faculty that he has said, and repeated it since we got out from London,
that he had hopes from Malvern water, but would have nothing more to do with
physic or any who belonged to it. As that was his temper I did not inform
him that I had wrote to you, but only mentioned it to Mrs Johnstone [the
invalid's wife] and the rest of the company, and therefore you must come to
him as a family friend and not as a physician, and leave him either to talk to
you or not about his complaint. We can give you all the information you will
want, and we can contrive that he shall follow your plans without being fretted
about it. Our great endeavour is to keep up his spirits, and it is surprising
that under so much pain and loss of strength he is not more nervous and
irritable."
On Dec. 22 Sir William wrote from Great Malvern : " I think my brother
is going on well, but he is not very governable, and has over-fatigued himself
with exercise beyond his strength and by eating more than he ought, but we
are now all combined to keep him in order, and I hope will be too many for
him. He has been on horseback two days at the top of the highest mountain,
and walked down with only the help of a stick. He has had no pain till last
night, but he eats enough to give a man in health a fever. We beg you will
come to us to dinner on Monday, and bring Miss Johnstone and your sons, as
we have some venison, and will try to make a little dance if my brother is well.
If Colonel Hume will do us the honour to come with you we shall be glad of
his company."
The invalid
from his friend.
had not left Malvern many days when Johnstone heard again
"My brother," he said, "stood the journey very well, and all
the inn-keepers on the road remarked how much better he looked ; on Wednesday
night there was an alarm about him, and Mrs Johnstone sent an express
to me from Taplow which arrived at mid-night. I set out immediately and
carried Sir George Baker with me. Before we arrived he was better and Dr
Lind had arrived from Windsor. He proposed coming to town to-day. I