“My Dear Sir,—I am greatly obliged and pleased by your letter, and I am unexpectedly rejoiced that my address to the people of Southwark should produce one effect—an increase of your good opinion. You surprise and grieve me, however, by thinking so ill of my judgment as to imagine me slow in seeking your acquaintance. The fact is, that you a little misconceive my character. I am in ordinary life so very reserved and domiciliated a person, that to court anybody’s good opinion as I have done yours is an event in my usual quietude of habit.
“With respect to the Utilitarian—not
‘self-love’ system of morals, all I can say is that I am convinced,
if I commit a blunder it is in words, not things. I understand by the system
that Benevolence may be made a passion, that it is the rule and square of all
morality; that virtue loses not one atom of its value, or one charm from its
loveliness. If I err, I repeat, it is in words only. But my doctrine is not
very bigotedly embraced. And your
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“My advice, or rather opinion, such as it may be, is always most heartily at your service, and you will flatter and gratify me by any desire for it.
“I am living here very quietly: and doing, what think you? writing poetry. After that, it may be superfluous to tell you that Bognor is much resorted to by insane people.—Ever and most truly yours,
