Quebec 6^th November 1830

My Dear Sir

I have to thank you for your letter of 19^th Oct^r which I have neglected deferred answering longer than I ought to have done; for which I beg you to accept my apologies. I am sorry to say that the accounts last received here of our noble and respected friend Lord Dalhousie represent him as scarcely if at all better. I have had no letters from him myself, nor I believe has any body else except Colonel Couper who had a short note from him just before his departure, written in a very desponding way. It is a sad prospect for his friends. I fear very much that he may sink wholly under that oppressive climate, –especially as his spirits have given way under his misfortune[.] The long voyage out there was in the first place a trying thing to a man of his habits, – not fond of by any means abstemious, and accustomed always to regular exercise. This cause, joined to the influence of climate, probably brought on the inflammation in his eyes which attacked him almost immediately on his arrival. When he had that disorder here in 1822, the physicians seemed to apprehend that it was connected with a disposition to apoplexy; And though I do not think he was then aware of this, I recollect

his

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