Letter – Thomas Wentworth Beaumont to Wentworth Blackett Beaumont – 24 Mar 1848

My dear Wenty,

	I am delighted with your plan & very readily give my approbation to it. I hope you will visit the Hebrides, Fingals cave & I remember well crossing Ben Lomond on foot & sleeping that night at a small Inn near the Trossachs. Your Uncle William had a tall Highlander for a Bedfellow & much distressed he was with his companion. Bird & I shared the same bed. But the Fleas annoyed me more than my companion. We had a fine View & a beautiful day. We crossed the lake in the morning from an Inn on the opposite side, where we had been passing a wek. We saw Ben Nevis but had the usual fate of Travellers in being prevented from ascending it by rain, so we contented ourselves with visiting the Fall of Fyers.

	You see that the Revol[utionary] movement has spread rapidly to Berlin & Vienna. What has passed at the latter place will not satisfy the Propagand spirit of the French. But they will first, I think, have the good sense to put their own House a little in order, which has been a good deal disturbed lately.

	It gave me pleasure to hear that you had been nervous at starting. Nothing is worse than that cold apathy, which speaks as if it were taking a glass of milk. This mischief of Public speaking at College is that it hardens the feelings & accustoms them too much to a too complaisant audience. But a little of it will do you good. Fox said to a Friend, who was making his First speech in the House ‘I was glad when I saw your knees shake.’

	I am still improving without being able to fix the day of our departure, which I hope will not be deferred beyond next week. Don’t be uneasy about a Revolution in this country. There is not the least danger of any serious movement either here or in Ireland.

	Your sisters return from Lonton today, where they have been staying since Wednesday. Your mama unites with me in love.

	Ever your affect[ionat]e father

		TWBeaumont



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