The drain from the legs is now very small. He was annoyed last night by them and sent for Halford, who sent off for Brodie; but there was nothing of importance. They cannot yet say that he will not ultimately die of this complaint. Knighton thinks he will be an invalid all his life. Tierney says they cannot tell for a week whether there is any mischief remaining about the chest. The Duke wished to speak to him about the stamp; but he made an excuse about his legs requiring some dressing, and the Duke, seeing he did not choose to talk about business, went away. It seems clear that Leopold means to abdicate. The Attorney-General has made his libel preventive measure a poor weak inoperative thing, ridiculous, and unconciliating. The French Chambers are dissolved as a _coup de théâtre_ on the sailing of the expedition, and they are to meet on August 3, by which time they expect to hear of its success. A union of parties is expected on the Greek affair. I am not sorry for it. The Huskissonians and Whigs are drawing nearer together. The Tories, on the other hand, are rather approximating to us--so that by the beginning of next Session men will be at last in their right places. _May 21._ The King had a bad night. The private letter gave a bad account. He has been _drinking again_, very irritable, _intolerably_ so. Halford says, would neither sit in a chair nor lie in a bed, &c. Halford at last held strong language, and I believe told him his life depended on his obeying his physician. I am very much disappointed indeed at this. I hoped he was really getting better and would live. Aberdeen is to allow the instalments of the loan guaranteed to Leopold to be paid in four instead of eight years if he can keep him to his principality by doing so. The French were off on the 18th. There is a partial change in their Ministry. _May 23._ Rode to the Cabinet at three from Roehampton. The bulletin is that the King had had embarrassments in his breathing. The Duke waited two and a half hours before he saw him yesterday. The King signed the two messages, and then said 'the Duke has just caught me in time!' and in an instant there was a gurgling in his throat. He seized Knighton's arm. The Duke ran for Halford, went out into the gallery where he did not find him, then into another room where he was. Halford immediately took a bottle from the table and gave the King something which seemed to relieve him. The Duke thinks the King was in pain three or four seconds; but it was a minute and a half before he was relieved. He then did not speak; but made a motion with his hand for the Duke to go. He had just before been talking of going to Ascot and then to Aix-la- Chapelle. The King was perfectly satisfied with the proposed arrangement for the stamp. He asked the news, was told Leopold was behaving very ill, and agreed.