[Footnote 1:  Wilkes had been wounded in a duel, and alleged his wound as a sufficient reason for not attending in his place in the House of Commons when summoned.  Dr. Brocklesby, a physician of considerable eminence, reported that he was unable to attend; but the House of Commons, as if they distrusted his report, appointed two other physicians to examine the patient, Drs. Heberden and Hawkins.]

[Footnote 2:  Dr. Brocklesby is mentioned by Boswell as an especial friend of Johnson; having even offered him an annuity of L100 to relieve him from the necessity of writing to increase his income.]

[Footnote 3:  Count Lally, of an Irish family, his father or grandfather having been among those who, after the capitulation of Limerick, accompanied the gallant Sarsfield to France, had been the French governor in India; but, having failed in an attempt on Madras, and having been afterwards defeated at Wandewash by Colonel Coote, was recalled in disgrace, and brought to trial on a number of ridiculously false charges, convicted, and executed; his real offence being that by a somewhat intemperate zeal for the reformation of abuses, and the punishment of corruption which he detested, he had made a great number of personal enemies.  He was the father of Count Lally Tollendal, who was a prominent character in the French Revolution.]

The East India Company have come to an unanimous resolution of not paying Lord Clive the three hundred thousand pounds, which the Ministry had promised him in lieu of his Nabobical annuity.  Just after the bargain was made, his old rustic of a father was at the King’s levee; the King asked where his son was; he replied, “Sire, he is coming to town, and then your Majesty will have another vote.”  If you like these franknesses, I can tell you another.  The Chancellor [Northington] is a chosen governor of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital:  a smart gentleman, who was sent with the staff, carried it in the evening, when the Chancellor happened to be drunk.  “Well, Mr. Bartlemy,” said his lordship, snuffing, “what have you to say?” The man, who had prepared a formal harangue, was transported to have so fair opportunity given him of uttering it, and with much dapper gesticulation congratulated his lordship on his health, and the nation on enjoying such great abilities.  The Chancellor stopped him short, crying, “By God, it is a lie!  I have neither health nor abilities; my bad health has destroyed my abilities."[1] The late Chancellor [Hardwicke] is much better.

[Footnote 1:  Lord Northington had been a very hard liver.  He was a martyr to the gout; and one afternoon, as he was going downstairs out of his Court, he was heard to say to himself, “D—–­ these legs!  If I had known they were to carry a Lord Chancellor, I would have taken better care of them;” and it was to relieve himself of the labours of the Court of Chancery that he co-operated with Mr. Pitt in the discreditable intrigue which in the summer of 1766 compelled the resignation of Lord Rockingham, Mr. Pitt having promised him the office of President of the Council in the new Ministry which he intended to form.]