Thomas Beddoes to Joseph Black, 15 April [1791]
Oxford 15th April
Dear Sir
Dr Black
I wish you may think the obsns contained in the accompanying paper a prosecution of the subject as it is entered upon in Dr Hutton’s theory of ye earth, worthy of such a beginning. I have in reserve another paper of which I gave you some intimation once before & of which I shall make a point of sending you a copy as soon as it is printed, as I hope it will be in the course of ye summer.
I am glad to see your solemn renunciation of the old chemical theory in the Annales de Chymie. Science & Chemistry in particular will never flourish here much under the shadow of ecclesiastical & scholastic institutions. Nevertheless I have a very valuable assortment of chemical apparatus – a gazometer very much improved upon Mr Lavoisier’s <&c> so that I am able to shew any & every expt. in his book – It has been constructed by a pastry cook in this place, a perfect prodigy in mechanics, who has invented & executed an improved barometer of which the column of ☿ is not altered by temperature; and by the help of which I can measure the height of a room as accurately as by a rule; an air pump which exhausts perfectly – & of course is constructed on principles totally new – a balance which I have seen turn with 1/100 of a grain, <when> loaded with a pound at each arm – I have all these instruments in the Elaby. & several more of less importance – He is besides now taking out a patent for some new machinery which I believe will supersede all the water-wheels, steam engines &c now in use –
I wish I cd have annexed to the paper I send now, another upon iron which the R. S. is now printing. However I shall not fail to transmit it as soon as I receive any copies myself.
Besides chemical lectures I have given a course on Physical Geography of which I send you a very hasty and imperfect syllabus –
If you or Dr Hutton have duplicates of specimens which afford striking illustrations of his theory or my syllabus, I solicit the communication of them non tam privato quam publico nomine – I will endeavour to repay the obligation, in kind. This summer I project a mineralogical excursion of some length – I think it will be into Wales.
T. Beddoes
Endorsement: From Dr Beddoes
MS: Edinburgh University Library Gen 873.111.200–1
Published: CJB, II, pp. 1122–24