1794

Thomas Beddoes to Ann Beddoes [April 1794]

Dear Mother

I did not write immediately on my arrival at Bristol, knowing you w^d hear from Mr Sadler that I arrived safe. Mr & Mrs & Miss are now arrived in their turn; & we shall now, I hope, at last begin a regular plan of housekeeping. Humphrey goes by the name of Jack – He is very well content but has not enough to do. Mr Edgeworth was obliging enough to tell me I ought to send him to his house whenever I pleased where he w^d be out of mischief and be learning something from his servants. I must contrive some way to teach him to read & write in order to keep him employed, otherwise he will become miserable & vicious – The hammering & noise in the house here alarmed the whole neighbourhood & my sister might hear from Mr Reynolds perhaps what pains Mr Edgeworth was obliged to take in my absence to pacify them.

I sh^d be glad to hear what has taken place respecting the sale of the timber & the bargain at Haughton – whether Eld has been over – I am glad the land at Haughton is not to be purchased I am well assured here that the price of land has fallen five & twenty per cent. It must I am certain be the case every where – Money is so extremely scarce; & as far as I c^d judge, the purchase money for that land & house &c at Haughton was full as much as it ought to have been, or rather more than it ought to have been before the war –

I shall write to Mrs Yonge by this days post – I hope Mrs Reynolds is got better. My sister may say to Mr Reynolds that I know perfectly well how much he has been engaged & hurried – yet I hoped he w^d find time to write if it had been but two lines to Mr Edgeworth as I desired him; or if he c^d not write himself that he w^d get an amanuensis to write for him –

I think some of you sh^d contrive by all means to take a trip, if but for a short time to Hopesay this summer –

Remember me to all at home – yours affect^ly

Tho^s Beddoes

Hope Square
Bristol Hotwells
Sunday Morning

Address: Mrs Beddoes, Shifnal, Shropshire
MS: Oxford, Bodleian Libraries, Dep. c. 135/2.