Thomas Beddoes to Cadwallader Boyd, 2 January 1798 (copy)
Mr Boyd
Sir,
I am extremely obliged to my friend Mr Archer for so far interesting himself in my scheme as to apply to you. I did not see the letter Mr A. wrote. My idea was that he would propose certain terms & leave the time of your coming hither and other particulars to me: from from his acct I am led to entertain the highest opinion of your chemical abilities. I had intended to write to Mr Klaproth but what Mr A. said prevented me. At the same time, to cut short all possibility of dispute <&> dissatisfaction I shall take the liberty of stating, at large, what qualifications a person calculated to act a principal part in this laborious undertaking, ought in my opinion to [xxxx] possess. you will I dare say, allow that compliments in matters of business are entirely out of place. The person in question shd have attainments which few have opportunity to acquire. It goes for nothing to be a speculatist: he must be a practical chemist & it is essential that his practice shd not have lain principally in the line of pharmacy or any single line. with the more complicated exps with gases he shd be familiar; & also with those processes of fusion & calcination which require the reverbatory air and muffle furnaces. To sum up all he should be conversant with whatever illustrates the philosophy of chemistry as we find it in Lavoisier & later masters. He shd be master of the blowpipe – at least understand how to bend & manage the glass tubes and <understand> the construction of furnaces.
I should not think myself bound to terms with <a> person who did not answer to the above description liberally interpreted.
My friend, Mr Archer, <is> sufficiently <furnished> with chemical idea; but whether he has had his hands much in the trough and the furnace, I have no means of knowing. Our english surgeons understand little of practical Chemistry. Mr Higgins’s recommendation, after a perusal of this letter, wd not leave a doubt in my mind; & to that Mr Kirwan or Dr Percival I shd pay the greatest deference. I shall be sorry if I shock you by these remarks, they are disguised <designed> to save you & myself from further <future> inconvenience & could & should <not> suppress them out of false delicacy. I have myself ever found that those who are at first the most explicit are the most liberal afterwards. I shall not only chearfully fulfil the terms specified by Mr Archer but think myself much obliged to any person qualified as above. The terms were reimbursement of the expence of the seafaring from Dublin hither with 10S a day afterwards & food and lodging – upon all those conditions taken together, I should be glad to see you as soon after 1st of Feby as you please I should esteem it as a singular mark of candour if not having been conversant in the practice of experiment belonging to philosophical chemistry, you should decline the proposal. I beg your pardon for all this (probably unnecessary) detail. I have written a few lines to Mr Higgins on the subject of this letter.
I am sir
your most
obedt sert
Thomas Beddoes
PS you would have excellent assistance. I expect a young man who has applied close to chemistry (I mean worked hard) for 4 or 5 years he alone wd be adequate in case of need to the situation of assistant. there wd be a few private pupils any little apparatus contrived and manufactured at Dublin I shd be glad you wd bring. If Dr Percivals portable furnace wd be of use I shd be glad of that. I suppose an accustomed workman would best make it
Endorsement: My daughter whom you did not see as she was at school when you came here, copied this letter you must excuse her she is but eleven years old ... I look forward with great pleasure to seeing you
MS: LoB MS 3219/6/2/B/64