A Memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith
Letters 1808
Sydney Smith to Lord Grey, 21 December 1808
18, Orchard-street, Portman-square,
December 21st, 1808.
Dear Lord Grey,
Dr. Vaughan’s brother is just come over, who says the
Spaniards are quite sure of succeeding, and that it is impossible to conquer
them. I mean to have him examined next week by Whishaw, Brougham, and
other Whigs.
Brougham and I are going next week to stay
a day or two with a Mr. Richard Brinsley
Sheridan, where we are to meet your friend Mrs. Wilmot, whom I am very curious to see.
I am just publishing fifty discourses, which I shall take the
liberty to send to Lady Grey; conceiving
that in so remote a part of England, theology is not to be had so pure as here.
Barbarina Brand, Lady Dacre [née Ogle] (1768-1854)
The daughter of Admiral Sir Chaloner Ogle; she married in 1789 Valentine Henry Wilmot (d.
1819), and in 1819, Thomas Brand, twentieth Baron Dacre. She was the author of
Ina, a Tragedy (1815) and
Dramas, Translations,
and Occasional Poems (1821).
Henry Peter Brougham, first baron Brougham and Vaux (1778-1868)
Educated at Edinburgh University, he was a founder of the
Edinburgh
Review in which he chastised Byron's
Hours of Idleness; he
defended Queen Caroline in her trial for adultery (1820), established the London University
(1828), and was appointed lord chancellor (1830).
Sir Henry Halford, first baronet (1766-1844)
The second son of James Vaughan MD of Leicester; a court physician, he was created
baronet in 1814 and was president of the College of Physicians (1820-1844).
Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816)
Anglo-Irish playwright, author of
The School for Scandal (1777),
Whig MP and ally of Charles James Fox (1780-1812).
Sir Charles Richard Vaughan (1774-1849)
English diplomat; he was secretary to the embassy in Spain (1810-19) and ambassador to
Switzerland (1823-24) and to the United States (1825-35). He was the brother of the court
physician Sir Henry Halford.
John Whishaw (1764 c.-1840)
Barrister, educated at Trinity College, Cambridge; he was Secretary to the African
Association and biographer of Mungo Park. His correspondence was published as
The “Pope” of Holland House in 1906.