Thomas Beddoes to Thomas Wilkinson, 5 September 1802
5 Sepr 1802
Dear Sir
In a letter to Ly Anne, I suggested the idea of a scientific person who understands mathematics, chemistry &c – I know this is an extraordinary measure, & therefore I will take the liberty of stating why I suggested it –
It wd not only be a great pity that the fruit of an education so expensive, & hitherto so successful should be lost, but you see it wd be gross injustice to John at least to check him in his way to be the most useful & one of the most happy characters of his fortune which as ever appeared in this country. His mind is excessively active, & I think unless you keep him on as it must be employed, there is reason to fear it may turn to mischief – If even he were <for the present> to get into that sort of vicious idleness which, I understand has risen to a dreadful pitch among the oppidans of a certain large school, I am very sure that in a few years he wd feel bitter regret, and probably wd reproach his friends, when he finds himself fallen back in information & perhaps injured in constitution. I remember Mr Lambton regretting that he had not been instructed in science & resolving to make up the defect, as you know, shortly before his death. The spirit of reflection is so strong in John that I am sure it will never be quelled, though it may hereafter serve but to torment him. He never can forget that at 10½ he cd write latin and greek, prose & verse, that he was advanced in arithmetic, algebra, Euclid, and that he was beginning to have information in chemistry and some other sciences – & I am afraid that at 21 or sooner he will compare himself with what he now is, & if he finds himself wanting, feel unhappy & discontented.
A tutor may be inconsistent with the rules of the school where he is going – I know how apt schoolmasters are to screen their abominable deficiencies by this sort of excuse. But were some one of John’s friends, I wd not accept it. The rules of a little & even a large school are of very little importance in comparison with John’s being made what he is capable of <becoming> & they ought not to be a bar in his way –
The reason why I fear most for John is that he is more capable of being led & less able to bear being laughed at than you would wish. He will therefore perhaps be induced to do what he dislikes & repent afterwards. We see plainly enough in 100 instances that, with a certain state of mind & body, no fortune can make a man happy. & I am certain J. is of a character particularly susceptible of remorse & that this will be both keen & lasting –
You will not be willing, perhaps, to look so far forward as I do – But you know the years that are to make these boys men will soon arrive, & I will venture to say that if you will look round among the men of fortune of your acquaintance, you will see that not a moment shd be lost in preventing John from becoming what they usually are. I have known a great number & been accurately acquainted with the reasons why they were either cut off young, or crippled or reduced to premature old age. I am persuaded they would have been longlived and healthy if they had been educated upon some such plan as has been followed with regard to your boys – But they did not know what to do with their time & so their wealth was their bane. I think nothing can be such a reproach to the parents & guardians of great heirs in general as the vast admiration, paid to the D. of Bedford’s memory – Is it such a mighty matter to discover that a rich man, who employs his means most usefully to the public, will derive most satisfaction to himself? And is it so hard a thing to put a child’s mind into that train, from which he shall derive this sort of satisfaction? In the richest country in the world, one Duke has the head & the heart to exert his influence beneficially. What a reproach to other great proprietors is the applause <given> to this one –
Does it not say aloud that they are good for nothing or next to it!
I must tell you a little what I think about William – His talents are equal to anything – What an excellent letter he has written by this day’s post – He has generally written better than John – He has much more confidence in himself. Indeed at present he thinks himself a personage of much greater consequence. This is the lead <or rather dangerous> part of his character – When Ly A’s letter arrived, the intelligence of his speedy journey to Lambton turned his head – The poor little grew idle & very insolent to Mr Eden – you will see by what he says on what his mind runs – A very little fox-hunting will spoil him – If he is to make his way in the world, he should be made to understand that from this time forth, he should be kept out of the way of things likely to make him dissipated – We keep him in good order but I assure he is ready to grow saucy to every body with whom he dares take liberties & is disposed to be particularly insolent to servants – a propensity which has here been most decidedly repressed – And I recommend it strongly to you, if you wish he shd not have this quality, not only not suffer it in your sight, but to insist upon your servants not putting up with any outrages, but complaining to you – He will easily be checked by this care
I hope you have quite recovered your health I am Dear Sir yrs truly
Thomas Beddoes
Published: Durham, I, 52–53
MS: Lambton Park MS,