Phantom-Wooer: The Thomas Lovell Beddoes Web Site | Life

EDMUND GOSSE, 1885

“In June 1847 he finally quitted England, and settled for twelve months at Frankfort in the house of an actor named Degen, practicing a little as a physician. Here in the early part of 1848 his blood became poisoned from the virus of a dead body entering a slight wound in his hand. This was overcome, but seriously affected his health and spirits. His republican friends had deserted him, and he felt disgusted with life. The circumstances which attended his death were mysterious, and have not been made known to the public. The published account was founded on a letter from Beddoes to his sister, in which he says: ‘In July I fell with a horse in a precipitous part of the neighbouring hills, and broke my left leg all to pieces.’ This is the version which he wished to circulate, and this may be accepted in silence. The incident, however, whatever it was, occurred not in July, but in May 1848, in the town of Bâle, where he had arrived the previous night. He was immediately taken to the hospital, where he was placed under the charge of his old friend, Dr. Frey, and of a Dr. Ecklin…In December he walked out of his room twice, and proposed to go to Italy. His recovery was considered certain when, on 26 Jan. 1849, Dr. Ecklin was called to his bedside, and found him insensible. He died at 10 P.M. that night…In person Beddoes was like Keats, short and thick set; in the last year of his life he allowed his beard to grow, and ‘looked like Shakespeare.’ His friends in the hospital spoke of his fortitude under suffering, and said that he always showed ‘the courage of a soldier.’”

(Dictionary of National Biography, vol. IV, pp. 96, 97)

Back

Home