1794

Thomas Beddoes to James Watt, late October 1794

Dear Sir

Suppose you pay me two shillings for each copy of the ‘Considerations’ – that will be ‘two pounds, eight shillings’. To the letter to Dr Darwin you are welcome; I printed 2000 as much with intention to give away as sell – And if you choose to have more ‘Considerations’ I will present you with an equal n^o of letters. Will you please to pay the engraver & let me know the amount of his bill?

Pray observe the ‘Considerations’ sell rapidly. A new edition will be wanting in 3 probably, in 6 months certainly. I hope you will add, alter & otherwise prepare your part for reimpression.

Lord Daer has not done himself justice. Poor man, he is distracted between inconsistent plans – I convinced him he c^d take unrespirable air with^t injury – he breathed several times half fixed, half atmospheric air for 20 or 30 minutes with^t any immediate or subsequent disagreeable sensation – but he was so incessantly occupied in trifles, as buying tools & laying in useless stores that I c^d not get him to have his room partly filled with fumes of effervescing mixtures with vinegar – Here is a trait. I said to him ‘you have received a letter from James Watt Junior: . . . He said ‘yes’ but neither mentioned to me nor Dr Home the contents. Indeed he has been much perplexed by contrary opinions respecting Lisbon. I am quite certain of his being in a confirmed consumption –

Dr Turton is an Oxford physician, which implies property, I cannot answer for his responsibility yet I sh^d trust him with^t fear. I never saw him till he came hither lately, with a new married wife, I think. He says he has remarked instances, where of a family liable to consumption, those who have lived in large towns have escaped – Here is a wretched street, where in some apartments the inhabitants burn candles all day, there being no window – The Parson of the parish says he scarce remembers burying a consumptive person out of it –

‘Jocular’ is mine – if a mistake, your dread of being guilty of neologism made me represent your letter as jocosely expressed – & every body laughs at your concluding sentence p. 47. I beg leave to thank Mr Boulton for the cast iron pot & bottle. I cannot sufficiently express my sense of obligation for your attentive correspondence & other civilities. Yrs

T Beddoes

P.S. I did send to Dr Black the sheets long since in franks. I rather think a copy was sent to Dr Hutton by Dr Home.

Address: James Watt Esq / Heathfield
Endorsement: Dr Beddoes / Ocb^r 1794 / price of the pamphlets
MS: LoB MS 3219/4/27/03