The drawings, dear Lady, are not yet arrived, though I dare say they are on the road. We have one drawing of yours in our drawing-room, and shall be delighted to multiply such ornaments, for their own merit, and for the recollections they excite.
My sermon is on the road, with other heavy baggage. I will read it when it comes; and if what I have said of Mrs. Fry is worth extracting, I shall be happy to send it to you: but I am a rough writer of sermons, thinking less care necessary for that which is spoken, than that which is written; or rather, I should
144 | MEMOIR OF THE REV. SYDNEY SMITH. |
Poor Bobus has, as you see, lost his election; a trick played upon him by that extraordinary person who looks over Lincoln, and who, looking, saw that he had not his clerical brother with him, and so watched his opportunity to do him a mischief.
I am heartily glad to see the elections take so favourable a turn. The people are all mad; what can they possibly mean by being so wise and so reasonable?
I recommend you to read the first and second volumes of the four volumes of the Abbe Georgel’s Memoirs. You will suppose, from this advice, that there is something improper in the third and fourth: but, to spare you the trouble of beginning with them, I assure you I only exclude them from my recommendation because they are dull. You will see, in the second volume, a detailed account of the celebrated Necklace Story, which regaled your papa and mamma before you were born,—an event, by the bye, for which I always feel myself much indebted to Lord and Lady Tankerville. God bless you!