Thomas Beddoes to Thomas Wilkinson, 16 April 1802
16 April 1802
Dear Sir
Your letter arrived the moment I was setting out for Mr Boulton’s near Birmingham. His illness detained me near a week – & I have been very busy since otherwise I should have done myself the pleasure of writing you a few lines. However I did the essential thing: I wrote to Lady Lushington. I will not trouble you with details about the gout medicine But any man in his senses would try it, as it has done the utmost good on more than nine cases out of 10 & never any harm – It is not my discovery, but that of a great martyr to the gout – & has been in use for five years with advantage to the constitution of every person who has tried it.
I am glad that your opinion of the two boys agrees with that of every person, who has seen & examined them – I certainly lay no small stress upon the approbation of their father's principal friend. I have put them on a course of arithmetic & mathematics with chemistry & natural philosophy occasionally. They like algebra extremely – & all the rest is play.
I hope to qualify them for men of public & private business – & also by occupying their minds with useful knowledge to secure them a good moral character – I wish most sincerely to keep them till May 1803 – as I cannot finish my plan in less time – You know – at least I presume you know – that I have put things on such a footing that all parties must feel it impossible that this can be an interested wish of mine – The great thing men of sense value schools for is the knowledge of character & conduct it gives – now I wd challenge Eton & Westminster to produce me two boys of their age who have so much insight into the persons about them or who could go through the world like J & W Lambton –
Indeed, I think the variety of scenes & of persons they have seen & the conversations they have had access to have given them a superiority far more valuable than their superiority in classical attainments –
Mrs Beddoes desires to join me in compts to you & Mrs Wilkinson –
I am Dear Sir
Yrs truly
Thomas Beddoes
16 April 1802
Address: Thomas Wilkinson Esq / Binchester / Bishop’s Auckland / Durham
Endorsement: 16 Ap. 1802 / For the boys to stay with him until May 1803
Published (in part): Durham, p. 51
MS: Lambton MS