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1821. May 9th
To Nunez
It is a matter of declared uncertainty I see to thee; whether
I am alive. Yes; I not only am still living, but, though 73 years
of age the 15th. of February last 1821, and as fully prepared for dying at
any time as it is possible for man to be, I feel so little defallation
from the small allotment of bodily force my parents gave me, that
I see nothing as yet to prevent my living some years longer: and,
as to gaiety, I possess more than I ever did at any former period:
not less than the boys, who write for me, and laugh with me and at
me: and full as much as any of the few friends or disciples
of various ages, whom I can afford time to see: a state of mind for
which I am indebted to the occupation given to by far the greater part
of my time, and the observation of the fruits which, by degrees, are
flowing from it. It will, I am sure, afford satisfaction to a mind
like thine, if, upon enquiry, thou shalt receive the assurance that
the moral part of the object of thy generous affections does not mismatch
with the idea thou hast formed to thyself of the intellectual
part. With the parcel in question, if not with this letter, thou mayest,
perhaps, receive some public proofs of this. Thou will wilt learn with
pleasure, that the marks of approbation in which
on a remarkable
occasion, and without
a deflinting voice
in our House
of Commons, notwithstanding the contrariety of my principles to
the interests of almost all the Members of all parties have concurred,
have never met with contradiction any where else: from
which contrariety thou wilt at the same time learn without surprize,
that my own country in perhaps that in whicho those principles
have the least chance of being, in my life time, to any considerable
extent, applied to rise.
For continued correspondence with individuals time
is altogether wanting to me. i would, however, be master of unfeigned
delight to me once ot hear from thee, and to learn that, in respect
of personal comfort, thy state equals or exceeds mine. Thou wouldst
oblige me by giving me some particulars relative to thyself, and,
by affording me a conception of the combination of incidents, which
obtained for me the good fortune of numbering thee among my
disciples. Thy language, —let it be French, Latin, or even Spanish&
whichever is most agreeable to thee. but, if in Spanish, the hand
should be of the English type
such as this, with French;
and not such as I have
seen in some letters
Spaniards, Agustin
Argüelles for example: For in that case, no intercession
would be necessary
to see.
My own hand is a scarcely legible scrawl. But,
for thy satisfaction, it will serve me for the writing of my name.
(signed) Jeremy Bentham.
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Identifier: | JB/013/181/001"JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 13. |
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1821-05-09 |
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013 |
rid yourselves of ultramaria |
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181 |
to nunez |
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001 |
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correspondence |
1 |
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recto |
e5 |
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john flowerdew colls |
c wilmott 1819 |
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andreas louriottis |
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1819 |
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draft of letter 2770, vol. 10 |
4630 |
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