1807

Thomas Beddoes to T. G. Estcourt, [December 1807]

My dear Sir

I have been from home ever since yest^y morning – Edmund came to me ‘I have had no pain – I have not been sick & I am quite well’ – The alteration is prodigious for 2 days – a curious fact occurred the day before – whether he got a stroke of wind in walking out, I know not, but at night he had that most distressing complaint, the ear-ache – Nurse doctored him with hot flannel – he dozed & awaked in misery – I was not apprized of the emergency till the hot flannel had failed – I went to see him – asleep – was called soon after – found him crying – went down & ordered what was necessary – when it was ready, desired nurse to strip him – grave faces both on the part of nurse & nursling – In ¼ of a minute, while the process was performing, he burst out into a laugh – said the pain was gone – It has never returned – This was <one> of those attacks of local inflammation – It was so far satisfactory as it convinced me that his constitution is generally affected, though fast recruiting – It is the only attack of any sort he has had since you went – I trust the change in his appearance will be very striking when you see him – I have just seen the son of a Mr Sparkes of Crewkherne – he just needs a long alternative treatment like Edmund – I do not whether his father, who is a very sensible man too, will stop at half measures –

Davy is very ill indeed – He is attended by 2 or 3 fashionable doctors in London, with respect to most of whom my notions are very heretical – If it w^d not look obtrusive I sh^d go to see him – His disorder is a bad fever – It is always 3 to 1 that a young man recovers by the benefit of nature, but his case is serious –

Mrs B & my compt^s to Mrs Estcourt
yr faithful ser^t

Thomas Beddoes

MS: Gloucestershire Archives D1571 F227