Thomas Beddoes to Davies Giddy, 9 December 1792
Of late I had often expressed myself to well-informed persons in this country as I expressed myself to you in one of my last letters – of the utter inability of sermons to convey any just ideas of morality into the minds of the poor – of the danger lest they shd abuse the modern political doctrines, as soon as an opportunity offers, in gratifying their selfish passions, merely because they have no just strong conceptions of the simplest truths of morality; & that since these latter truths are the elements & alphabet of the former, no reformation cd be safely attempted or carried into effect, unless the knowledge of their daily duties was well impressed upon the minds of the common people – &c &c These general abstract propositions were not always thoroughly understood, & I was told the best way to [xxxx] <illustrate> my meaning wd be to exemplify it. I have endeavoured to do this. In one of the franks you will find a proof (an incorrect copy) of the last sheet. I will send you three correct copies of that sheet, when they are printed off – It does not seem to me that these associations against levellers or more properly speaking associations of calumniators will intimidate the reformists or mislead the public long.
Address: D. Giddy Esqr / Tredrea / Marazion / Cornwall // Shefnal. December ninth, 1792 / Free, Thos Whitmore
MS: Cornish Archives MS DG 41/57