Thomas Beddoes to Davies Giddy, 18 July [1792]
Oxford 18th July 1792
<Peu de Citoyens ont le courage d’elever la voix en faveur de la verité; nous trahissons presque tous la cause de la patrie, en plutôt celle de l’homme, par une crainte <servile> ou par une pusillanime complaisance – Mirabeau Essai sur le Despotisme >
Dear Giddy
Without delay then & without reserve, since you desire my opinion, I own to you that I think the more you reflect, the more you will repent of having signed that pitiful address. I cannot discover any substantial prudential reasons for compliance. A refusal wd not, I imagine, have made your sentiments more known, for defamation is always very busy in disseminating reports concerning religious & political heresy, especially when there is any chance of rendering odious a man who has claims to superiority. The Aristocracy cd not have completely gratified their malice by appointing you Sheriff; there your will was not warped by their influence; now I am afraid they will applaud themselves for having claimed a compleat victory – whether you will have more authority, if ever men’s minds shd be hereafter disposed to receive juster political sentiments is what you I think will be equitable enough to doubt when you have reconsidered the point. Thus I have given my opinion with all the simplicity of Gil Blas, but as you have nothing in common with the vain imbecillity of the Archbishop of Toledo, I hope it will not excite any thing of the same implacable aversion.
I can still say with Milton in a certain sense – ‘I bate no jot of heart or hope’. My expectations & opinions concerning France have too often turned out erroneous for me to hope for any immediate or sudden prosperity – every thing seems to indicate the approach of a new revolution. The confusion announced by the papers is too inextricable for any person here to refer each humiliating or shocking circumstance to its proper cause – but it appears too plainly that the constitution is in fact overturned – the laws are no more regarded <in the 89 departments> than the parish of St Erth – the decisions of the municipal courts are witht effect, & the deliberations of the Assembly are in much the same predicament – the conciliation of parties has turned out the farce of an hour, after which each actor reassumed his habitual character – the next news one may expect is a declaration of the Generals agt the factions, & of the overruling mob at Paris agt the generals, by their organ the Natl Assembly.
The imminent danger produces neither union nor vigour, & I am sorry to be able to recollect so many instances of the same infatuation in similar circumstances. Neither the old nor the new Assembly have been wise enough to follow up a plan of raising an immense army & new-officering it throughout – This vigorous measure wd perhaps have secured internal & external tranquility; & I see too late that it was the cheapest rate at which it could be had – It is, I hope still, impossible for the Austrians & Prussians to conquer France– And I wish the republican spirit may now become universal, as it is evidently now prevailing – nothing I think, cd so invigorate the nation at this crisis –
Hawkins is here – I think more highly of him, than I was led to do by the first impression of his manners – He has still the same intolerance in mineralogy – it pervades the whole Wernerian school – Mackintosh, unless I am much mistaken in the author, has just printed an eloquent invective agt Pitt –
Yours –
T. Beddoes
Address: Davies Giddy Esq / Tredrea / Marazion / Cornwall
Endorsement: Doctor Beddoes / 1792 / July the 18th
Postmark: OXFORD
MS: Cornish Archives MS DG 41/14