Thomas Beddoes to Samuel Whitbread, 4 October 1808

Dear Sir

Would you present a petition from me to the H. of Commons, relative to the improvement of medicine? Of course the manner w^d be respectful; & if I did not think the matter of great importance I sh^d not presume singly to challenge the attention of the legislature – This degree of importance & the peculiar attention which I have paid to the state of medicine in diff^t ages & countries & to the possibilities of its improvement are my pretensions And I beg that you w^d not suppose me possessed by the vulgar notion that to procure any given good or remedy any given evil <you have but to pass a law> – Nor do I flatter myself with being able to persuade the House to do what I think it ought to do – But sooner or later some good may flow from this method of giving circulation to the ideas – When one sees what is going on respecting human subsistence, it must appear astounding that it never struck upon the heart or understanding of any powerful & enlightened individual or body to interpose efficaciously in behalf of human health – where so much could be so soon effected – Hence the most important of all human arts continues grovelling & imperfect; & at best a mine of wealth to narrow, cunning intriguers & to those who are lucky in their connections without any thing of that superiority of talent which the profession requires –

If you do not refuse to cast your eye upon a drt of the petition, I only request you will judge for yourself as an enlightened & impartial member of society – not submitting your determination as to its presentation to any fashionable London surgeon or physician – The attempt w^d be absurd, if the matter do not clearly lie within the comprehension of every intelligent person –

I remain
Dear Sir
your respectful servant

Thomas Beddoes

4 Oct 1808

Address: Samuel Whitbread Esq MP / Southhill / Biggleswade / Bedfordshire
Endorsement: Beddoes / Oc^t 4 / 1808 // petition
Postmark: FREE / 6 OC 6 / 1808
MS: Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service MS W/1/4621

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