Thomas Beddoes to Davies Giddy, 14 March 1795
Clifton 14 March
Dear Giddy
Was I at leisure, I could only so far comply with Mr Polwhele’s request as to furnish queries & directions towards a minl survey of Devonshire. Except what I saw with you, I have learned little further except from 2 collections of specimens, which were sent me. Those queries & views I shd at some future time have no objection to commit to paper, as they might contribute to promote the physical geography of G. Britain; but I am much occupied in writing in various other ways at present. Nor can I say any thing more satisfactory to Mr Polwhele than what you have just read –
I perfectly agree with you as to the danger from a general fermentation among the labouring class. I hold it as certain
1. that the high national character of an Englishman throughout Europe is irretrievably gone
2. that the foundations of our naval superiority are undermined insomuch that whether we have war or peace, France & her firm allies will be superior in 10-15 years. It is foolish to fight against a consummation which the nature of things brings with it. 3. government by corruption cannot last this century out but it wd last longer if we had peace immediately than if the war continues. I see no possible good termination of the present series of events; but I believe the worst possible to be confusion without an idea of changing for the better. So our condition wd be worse than that of France inasmuch as the mass of people there knew perfectly what they were shunning & had something, however indistinct, in prospect; it wd be better by the freedom from foreign oppression. But you can have no doubt which of these is the lighter evil – The aristocracy here is compleatly infatuated. They think, I suppose, they can frown down the discontent of their inferiors; they will, I fear, have cause to wish they had given a 4th part of their estates to purchase peace; but they have really the sentiments of the French noblesse: & I wish my apprehensions that nearly the same fate is hanging over their heads may prove groundless. I do not see the great danger of writing now, if it be compared with the danger that subsisted 18 months ago.
Mrs H. More has partly carried into execution her plan for disseminating <moral & religious instruction> by cheap stories in prose & verse. The scheme might have done some good if the minds of the good sort of people in this country had not been clouded with prejudices; which perhaps is as much as to say that the remedy <might> have been prepared so as to effect a cure, if the disease had not existed. The books, as far as I have seen, are calculated to fill the minds of the uneducated with superstition & bigotry & hypocrisy – so how they are to mend their morals, you may guess. The motives are such as no human mind, except the mind of a mystic, can be affected by. I have just been reading the canting story of Tom White – it disgusted me enough but wd have disgusted me much more, if my knowledge of Mrs HM’s turn of thinking had not prepared me what to expect. An application was made for leave to reprint I. Jenkins; I told Mrs H.M.’s friend that the plan, as that of Sunday schools, might be managed so as to do good but sincere & conscientious as I thought the proposer I was sorry it was in such bad hands
Near half of my new & enlarged Ed. of Considerations is printed I trust you will be satisfied with the new – that is, the larger part.
By some unaccountable accident I lost your last letter but one, before I had time to consider what you said of Darwin’s doctrine of resembling ideas. I am very sorry for it – as I have stenuously objected to the conclusiveness of his reasoning on this head. I have scarce room for remembrances to your friends
Yrs
T.B.
Address: Davies Giddy Esq / Tredrea / Marazion / Cornwall
Endorsement: Doctor Beddoes / 1795 / March the 14th
MS: Cornish Archives MS DG 42/30