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A Memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith
Letters 1806
Sydney Smith to Francis Jeffrey, [October] 1806
INTRODUCTION & INDEXES
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
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Author's Preface
Contents
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Index
Editor’s Preface
Letters 1801
Letters 1802
Letters 1803
Letters 1804
Letters 1805
Letters 1806
Letters 1807
Letters 1808
Letters 1809
Letters 1810
Letters 1811
Letters 1812
Letters 1813
Letters 1814
Letters 1815
Letters 1816
Letters 1817
Letters 1818
Letters 1819
Letters 1820
Letters 1821
Letters 1822
Letters 1823
Letters 1824
Letters 1825
Letters 1826
Letters 1827
Letters 1828
Letters 1829
Letters 1830
Letters 1831
Letters 1832
Letters 1833
Letters 1834
Letters 1835
Letters 1836
Letters 1837
Letters 1838
Letters 1839
Letters 1840
Letters 1841
Letters 1842
Letters 1843
Letters 1844
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18, Orchard-street, London, 1806.
My dear Jeffrey,

I thank you for your kind and friendly letter, which gave me great pleasure. I am exempted at present from residence, as preacher to the Foundling Hospital; had it been otherwise, I could, I think, have lived very happily in the country, in armigeral, priestly, and swine-feeding society. I have given up the Royal Institution. My wife and children are well, and the world at present goes prosperously with me. I shall pass part of next summer at my living, and in all probability come over to Edinburgh. Sharp, Boddington, Philips, and Horner come into Parliament this session. I say nothing of foreign politics in the present state of the world: we live and hope only from quarter-day to quarter-day. I shall probably remain nearly in the state I am now in till next midsummer. I have not a thought beyond: perhaps it is rash to think so far. I have seen Stuart once; he seems tor-
22MEMOIR OF THE REV. SYDNEY SMITH.
mented to death with friends, but he talked out about Paris very fairly and pleasantly.

Tell Murray that I was much struck with the politeness of Miss Markham the day after he went. In carving a partridge, I splashed her with gravy from head to foot; and though I saw three distinct brown rills of animal juice trickling down her cheek, she had the complaisance to swear that not a drop had reached her! Such circumstances are the triumphs of civilized life.

I shall be truly happy to see you again. What do you mean by saying we shall meet soon? Have you any immediate thoughts of coming to London? Remember me kindly to Murray, Thomson, Alison, Playfair, etc. I am very glad you see so much of these latter personages. Tell Playfair I have presented the four copies of his book to four of the most beautiful women of my acquaintance, with his particular compliments and regards.

Sydney Smith.