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This letter is part of the correspondence calendar of the complete correspondence of Thomas Gray. The calendar contains detailed bibliographic records for all known original, copied, or published letters written by or to the poet as well as the full-text, where available. Each record is accompanied by digitised images of the manuscript, where available, or digitised images of the first printed edition.
I write to the Vine imagining you may be still there to tell you, that I was to have gone to Strawberry on Monday last, but being ill
was obliged to write the day before, & excuse myself. Mr W: could not receive my letter till Monday afternoon, & had therefore
sent a Messenger from London early that morning to say, that he was very ill of a Fever & Rash, & unable to go himself to
Twickenham. I know this is a dangerous season, & that malignant Fevers are now very common, & am therefore something alarmed at
his situation. if you have heard anything, you will let me know; & particularly, if any thing should carry you soon to Town. I
myself have been ill, eversince I came out of Hampshire. I have had advice, & have been bloodied, &
taken draughts of salt of Wormwood, Lemons, Tincture of Guiacum, Magnesia, & the Devil. you will
immediately conclude, they thought me rheumatic & feverish. no such thing! they thought me gouty, & that I had no fever. all I
can say is, that my heats in the morning are abated, that my foot begins to ach again, & that my head achs, & feels light &
giddy. so much for me. my Comp:ts to the Gentleman with the Moco -smelling-bottle, the
Muntz's, the Betties, & the Babies.