1801

Thomas Beddoes to Thomas Wilkinson, 4 March 1801

My dear Sir

I have been informed that very afflicting consequences have already followed a certain event: but I hope to God what I have heard is the lie of the day.

Lady Anne has requested from me a statement of the acct^s – The first item will be the affair about which you & I have corresponded without coming to any fixed idea – viz – the journey to Lambton – you told me you had lost Dr Darwin’s letter to whom it referred – According to his estimate I believe you will find it was from $150 to £200 – I think a line from you in this point will smooth all difficulty

I am happy to be able to speak of the boys in the same strain. If their father be conscious of what is going on here below, I am very sure that they go on in a way to meet the warmest approbation – Their proficiency in latin astonishes every body, & those the most, who have had the most experience in education – But though I w^d not that they sh^d not be good classical scholars, yet I am most firmly persuaded from the course the world is taking that the market-price of latin & greek will sink very low long before these boys arrive at manhood; & therefore I rejoice that their range of information, their power of invention, their manual dexterity every thing in short likely to make them adorn prosperity or support adversity is in proportion to their classical attainments. – I have bestowed a distinct principle in their education – I w^d perhaps state it to the public if I did not think it might make these boys vain –

To you I can confidentially & without indelicacy state what follows. I w^d not wish L^y A or Mr Ralph sh^d know it comes from me Use it or not – Some months ago L^y A dropped in a letter to John her design of taking them from this place next Sep^r – Now I am persuaded that this on acc^t of their disposition, constitution & improvement is a year too soon. To guard ag^t that complaint which has been the cause of the greatest of losses to you & to me – the loss of a most honourable friend – I have been obliged to attend to their regimen strictly – & sometimes to give medicines – Their health for the next 18 months by careful superintendence w^d receive more benefit than in three preceding years – It is very doubtful to me whether their father w^d <have> sent them to a public school at all – I am sure not so soon after what I have to say – & in a year & half it might appear more clearly what turn the affairs of this country will take – a point of much consequence as to the future destination of youth –

The kind of memorial I originally transmitted you through Lady A with your answer has induced me to buy for John whatever I thought certain to make him wise & happy.

But I have as far as possible bought such things as will retain & even increase their value – I have not exceeded the form I requested in that paper to be allowed annually to expend – & I do not think you with your liberal views or entering into the spirit of Mr Lambton will think it an evil of John sh^d have some hundred pounds worth of things of value in place of the money these things having been of incalculable use & above all price to him – I wish much (& I applied to Ly A who always forgets) for the Eton course of books –

I am my dear Sir
With comp^ts to Mrs Wilkinson & Mrs Beddoes’s best regards
Yours with sincere esteem

Thomas Beddoes

Address: Tho^s Wilkinson Esq^r / 13 Gloucester Place <8 Queen Anne St West.> / London // Bristol March four 1801 / Free / J. T. Greene
MS: Lambton Park MS