1798

Thomas Beddoes to James Watt, 21 April 1798

21 April

Dear Sir

I hope the accident which I understand from Mrs Carmichael to have befallen you will not give you much pain or leave behind it any permanent injury. Have you had any of the porcelain tubes &c which you expected when I saw you last? & can you spare one or two more?

Perhaps you can tell me how to cement a rod of metal into a glass tube so as to be water-tight & unshakeable –

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I find an electric shock destroys sealing-wax & the cement of wax rosin & oil – when it is forced through a resisting medium as oil &c We are going in the mean time to try cork & caoutchouc – perhaps you can tell something better – I think to make some exp^s on the philosophy of chemistry by this apparatus – At last I have 2 or 3 eager young chemists whom I shall set to work with that view –

The people here attend to chemistry with interest – I am glad of this, not merely on acc^t of its direct utility – but I think that the effect of a number of people receiving agreeable ideas together may be to soften animosity & that there will be thus a chance of <preventing> some acts of barbarity in the times that I fear are coming. I hope Mr Boulton Jun^r has received his glass safe – I apprized Mr J Watt of its being sent –

I am got about half through my undertaking – this nights will be the 14^th out of 30 lectures – Was the exp^t of boiling water in a thin glass vessel – closing it while full of steam & then by pouring cold water on the outside making it boil repeatedly yours – It is very striking – Mrs Beddoes begs her compt^sto Mrs Watt – I am

Dear Sir yours with all good w^s

Thomas Beddoes

Address: James Watt Esq / Heathfield / Birmingham
Endorsement: Dr Beddoes / Apl 21^st 1798
MS: LoB MS 3219/4/029/30