BEDDOES (THOMAS), a physician of great emi nence for his talents and philanthropy, was born at Shiffiiall in Shropshire, on the 13th of April 1760, and was originally of Welsh extraction. He receiv ed the first rudiments of his education at a school in his native town, and afterwards at a seminary at Brood in Staffordshire. The strength of his intellec tual powers was apparent at a very early period of his life : and he was remarkable from his infancy for his insatiable thirst for books, and for his indifference . to the common objects of amusement, which usually captivate the attention of children: His rising abi lities were discerned and justly appreciated by his grandfather ; a man of great natural acuteness of mind, and who, by his industry and enterprise in trade, had acquired a considerable fortune. To this intelligent relation he was deeply indebted for many of the advantages of his early education, and for prevailing on his father (who, wishing to retain his son beneath the paternal roof, and train him up to business, was less anxious about his literary acquire ments) to fix his destination for one of the learned professions. When be was only years old, the circumstance of an accident which befel his bene factor, and which, after being followed by some re markable symptoms, terminated fatally, was calcu lated to make a deep and lasting impression on a mind like that of young Beddoese and was sufficient to give it a decided direction. By the extraordi nary acuteness and inteftst which he manifested on this occasion, he attracted the notice of Mr Yonge, the surgeon who attended the sufferer; and a fofinda tion was thus laid for the friendship which ever after subsisted between them, and which appears to have had a considerable influence in his choice of that profession, in which he was destined to run so brilliant a career. Under the tuition of the Reverend Mr Harding, at the Free Grammar School in Bridg north, he made rapid progress in classical learning ; and was distinguished by his great fondness for reading, by his facility in acquiring knowledge, and by the possession of a memory surprisingly retentive, . a faculty which he retained through life. When about thirteen years of age, he was placed as a pu pil with the Reverend Mr Dickenson, Rector of Plymhill in Staffordshire, with whom he continued about two years, and who has given the followir.g report of the zeal with which he pursued his studies. " During the that Dr Beddoes was under my care," observes Mr Dickenson, "his mind was so intent upon literary pursuits, chiefly the attain ment of classical learning, that I do not recollect his having devoted a single day, or even an hour, to diversions or frivolous amusements of any kind. His vacant hours were generally employed in reading Reviews, of which he had access to a very numerous collection." It is singular, that, in giving a sketch of
his mental powers, though he describes his judginent as solid, he his genius as not " enlivened by any remarkable brilliance of fancy." We shall soon have occasion to observe how eminently he was afterwards gifted with the very quality, in which a near observer of his character pronounced him to have been at that time deficient. His moral con duct• was ever irreproachable, and his docility and equanimity of temper were in the highest degree ex emplary.
He continued the same habits of sedulous appli cation, and retained the same independence and in tegrity of character at the university, to which he was removed on quitting Mr Dickenson. He en tered at Pembroke College, Oxfbrd, in Michaelmas term 1776. The simplicity of his appearance, and the rusticity of his manners and address, could not long conceal the superiority of his mental powers, which became more conspicuous by extended com petition, and soon met with the respect and applause to which they had so high a claim. The themes and declamations of young Beddoes were remarkable for their elegant latinity ; and he soon acquired dis tinguished reputation as a classical scholar. Suc cess in one acquisition was to him but an induce ment to the possession of another ; and already versed in the ancient, he resolved to become master also of the modern languages. He was found one morning by a friend, who casually entered his apartment, very busily engaged with a French gram mar and dictionary before him. On his inquiring what was the nature of his studies, Beddoes told him that he was only learning French. His friend expressed surprise that he should attempt it without a master. He replied, that it was unnecessary, and that he should conquer the difficulties of the lan guage by himself in about two months. • His friend desisted from farther interference; but, noting in " his own mind the date of his visit, called upon him again at the expiration of two months, and taking the opportunity of turning the conversation to the sub ject, inquired whether he had mastered the lan guage. Beddoes answered in the affirmative, and proved his assertion by reading in English, with perfect fluency, and much to the astonishment of the a French book which the latter presented to him. From the French he proceeded to the Italian, which, from its analogy with the former, he acquir ed with great ease. The German language present ed more serious difficulties ; but his perseverance triumphed over them without the aid of any master. Not content with this, he afterwards added the Spanish language to his other acquisitions, as if de termined to possess every avenue, by which useful or ornamental knowledge could possibly beattained.