Thomas Beddoes to Davies Giddy, 12 February 1795
12 Feby 1795
Dear Giddy
I received & shd have answered your letter sooner if I had not been engaged by this project of a pnc Instn in an immense correspondence which takes my whole spare time. I have little doubt but the project will succeed, provided public disaster do not confound & jumble all things. Between £500 & 600 are subscribed & no subscriptions have been advertised in the London papers – The contributors too are more respectable than I suppose ever sanctioned any project of this or any other kind. The speedy sale <of my pamphlet> though in part owing to the great name of Watt shews that the public is interested. A new edition which will contain several important communications is in the press; & pnc medicine seems to answer better than its most sanguine friend cd expect – Airs are certainly efficacious in consumption; but in what degree is not ascertained yet. However there is reason to believe that pulmonic ulcers have been healed by them; & doubtless a degree of relief has been experienced in the last stage, which medicines are totally incapable of giving –
We have had an abortive attempt at a petition. The Mayor at first seemed eager – but being practised upon by some friends of the D. of P---d he not only refused to take the chair but to lend the Guildhall for the meeting.
Nothing but a peace which I much doubt whether we can obtain can save this country from universal distress, internal convulsions & perhaps invasion. The Dutch, an inert mass, in our hands, will I expect rival their ancestors in their exertions against us. I find few of those who deprecate the war the most, entertaining an adequate conception of the state of this country. They do not see that its naval greatness [MS torn] undermined nor how much it has sunk in the scale of nations. These things I do not regret, because I think individuals wd be the happier for them if we had but peace. Have you seen Holcroft’s letter to Wyndham It is not only full of good reasoning but contains much curious information. I was told yesterday that W---m is poor; a very instructive fact, if a fact it be – The majority of men of property here now exclaim against Pitt & he is universally sunk in the estimation even of his admirers. Yrs sincerely
TB
My wife who is going to Litchfield for her sister on her return will write to your sister.
Address: Davies Giddy Esq / Tredrea / Marazion / Cornwall
MS: Cornish Archives MS DG 42/36