Thomas Beddoes to Davies Giddy, 22 February 1792
At the moment I was sitting down to write to you, I was called away & it is now near 11 o’clock P.M. 22 Feb. You will find enclosed music, poetry & mechanics. Of the first & the last I do not presume to judge. I did indeed venture to say when I heard the music, & I believe it was well played, that if the words were no better than the tune, the author might aspire to be the rival of Hopkins. It was composed by a brother of Wilton’s at Liverpool.
Sadler has continued to speculate upon steam-engines with unabated ardour, a circumstance which indicates considerable force or insensibility of mind: & I rather think the former. He is quite sanguine with regard to the powers of this, of which I inclose a drawing. I had some difficulty in persuading him to delay taking out a patent; but he consented with less reluctance than I had expected to request your opinion of it. I hope it will be in your power to give it soon
The epitaph, if it can properly be called an epitaph & not rather an Elegy, comes from the pen of the best of our modern poets & I was assured by the lady from whom I obtained the inclosed copy that it is the best epitaph in the English language –
Just before the Revolution a correspondent wrote to me from Paris; les mages politiques s’epaississent de plus en plus. I am afraid the same reflection wd not be misplaced now. For some days past the behavior of the people in the tribunes has been intolerable; & I do not see that the Assembly have determined with sufficient firmness to repress this scandalous interference. The exchange is at 15, a rate hitherto unexampled except just before the disgrace of Jan: It is expected they will yet be lower, which is the next thing to a bankruptcy. I think it by no means improbable that to effect this may be the aim of the conspiracy of Despots, who will not, as I conjecture, risque a war till the country is disabled & lies at their mercy. In the mean time their menaces promote emigration; meanness, jealousy between the legislative & executive powers & prevent that application to the industry of the country, which might have been expected particularly on the part of the new landed proprietors & without which the substantial benefits of the Revolution can never be universally felt. The dearness of sugar & scarcity of corn (for taking the whole kingdom together the crops certainly fell very short last year, notwithstanding what you heard to the contrary) which have been the cause or pretext of several fermentations already will I fear be severely felt before harvest. I have just quitted a person who tells me of a serious commotion that has just happened at Dunquerque.
These untoward circumstances & the constant fluctuation of my own opinion respecting French affairs have contributed to render my feelings very uncomfortable this afternoon. I wish you or any body else cd give me any fixed principles by which to direct my judgment. I do not like to be thus at the mercy of the last newspaper. I have just met with a clergyman whose dissipation has brought on an incurable dropsy & in such circumstances I am always dissatisfied with myself & with the art of medicine. If you are not fast asleep already, I wish you a good night.
Thomas Beddoes
MS: Cornish Archives MS DG 41/13