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Augt 11 Br Pk My dear Wenty, Altho’ I do not think it likely that you will be corrupted by Ld Chesterfield I will tell you the opinion of Lonsdale – Bp of Lichfield & contemporary of mine at Eton <a per> him, that his Book contained the morals of a W[hore] & the manner of a Dancing master. This is a more even statement than his Lordship deserves, but his Recommendations are far too worldly to do any good. I hope that you have finer weather in North[umberlan]d than you found in Scotland. However you have a comfortable House at Sopwiths & if you have agreeable companions you will not be as much to be pitied as O Brien who instead of moor-shooting is now enjoying a melancholy Prospect as the Reward of his Folly & his Vanity. What a Reverse Chas Albert has experienced. If the whole proves to be a Trop <tu Ni> Pope I shall not be sorry for it as I think it time for the Roman Religion to be shorn of its influence & then there may be a fair Hope of Ireland enjoying some Quiet. I hope that you find the Venison in good order Ever sincerely yours TW Beaumont [on cover:] W.B.Beaumont Esq, Allenheads, Gateshead [postmarks:] Wakefield Au 11 1848 C, Gateshead Au 12 1848 B, Haydon Bridge Au
Chesterfield (1694-1773) was a statesman, diplomat, writer and wit. The book referred to was almost certainly his ‘Letters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman’ (1774) and the quote TWB attributed to Lonsdale is actually said to have been by Samuel Johnson. O’Brien was William Smith O'Brien MP (1803–64), an Irish nationalist and leader of the Young Ireland movement. He was convicted of sedition in 1848 and deported to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). Charles Albert (1798-1849) was the King of Sardinia who fought for Italian independence against the Austrians in 1848 but was abandoned by his ally Pope Pius IX.
