Editing Patrick White (section)

===Late work and declining health===
In late 1984, White was hospitalised due to osteoporosis, crumbled vertebrae and glaucoma resulting from his long-term use of cortisone to treat his asthma and chest infections. Although he was still mentally agile, his physical health and mobility were declining.{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=619-20}}

He had recovered sufficiently by January 1985 to recommence work on a new novel, ''Memoirs of Many in One,'' which he described as a "religious" and "bawdy" novel about senility. Posing as the editor of the memoirs of Alex Xenophon Demirjian Gray, White felt free to explore various aspects of his own character. The novel was published in Britain on 1 April 1986 and sharply divided critics.{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=622-24, 628}}

[[Salman Rushdie]] wrote to White in 1985, praising the novel ''Voss:'' "I cannot think when last a book so moved me."<ref>''Canberra City News'', 2012, 'Library reveals the life of Patrick White'. Available at:
https://web.archive.org/web/20240901092857/https://citynews.com.au/2012/library-reveals-the-life-of-patrick-white/. Accessed 1st September, 2024.</ref> By this time, however, White was tired of praise for the novel as he rated several of his other works more highly.{{Sfnp|Barnes|2014|pp=2-4}} The completed opera ''Voss'' opened at the  Adelaide Festival in March 1986 to general critical acclaim. White, however, boycotted the premiere because the festival had invited the Queen to attend. He attended the Sydney premiere later that year and judged it: "a stupendous occasion."{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|p=629}}

In April 1987, White's new play, ''Shepherd on the Rocks,'' opened at Adelaide in a production directed by Neil Armfield. White attended and deemed it a success.{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|p=631}} He had also written three short prose poems which were published as ''Three Uneasy Pieces'' in late 1987''.'' White was determined that none of his works would be published or performed in 1988 which was the [[Australian Bicentenary|bicentenary]] of British settlement in Australia.{{Sfnp|Webby|2012}} He also urged a boycott of all official celebrations of the event, stating: "circuses don't solve serious problems."{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=632-64}}

White was hospitalised with pneumonia in August 1988. A nurse stayed at his home for the remainder of his life and he no longer had the strength to attend protest rallies.{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=636-40}} In June 1989, a selection of his public statements, speeches and interviews was published as ''Patrick White Speaks''. In October, the Sydney Theatre Company staged a successful revival of ''The Ham Funeral'' directed by Neil Armfield. White attended the premiere in his last public appearance.{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=640-42}}

In July 1990, White contracted pleurisy and suffered a bronchial collapse. He refused to be hospitalised and died at home at dawn on 30 September.{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=643-44}}{{Sfnp|Marr|2008}}