Thomas Beddoes to James Watt, 20 January 1806

Dear Sir

Mr. Alcock who has been giving lectures here in anatomy & is the most ingenious physiologist I know & has a considerable range of information besides desires me to give him a line to you – He wishes to shew you two inventions & to ask you if you think that any profit may be derived from them.

I am drawing up an acc^t of proceedings at the Instⁿ & shall be able to produce a good many useful facts – Only the times forbid me to hope that one can do any great service by private efforts – or public ones either if one were in a situation to make them –

Mrs Beddoes desires to be fondly remembered to you & to Mrs Watt. The two elder children have profited by the means which I hope to make more general in families – Six weeks ago she had a little boy – whose constitution is not yet ripe enough to be put into y^e bettering machine

I am dear Sir
Yrs very truly

Thomas Beddoes

20 Jan. 1806

Address: James Watt Esq / Heathfield / Birmingham
Endorsement: Dr Beddoes / Jan^y 20 1806 / By Mr Alcock
MS: LoB MS 3219/4/047/04

The full versions of these letters with textual apparatus will be published by Cambridge University Press.