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A Memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith
Letters 1819
Sydney Smith to Lady Grey, [26 January? 1819]
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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No date.
Dear Lady Grey,

Macdonald spoke extremely well, and to the entire satisfaction of all his friends. Sir Robert Wilson was a complete failure: he could lead an army in or out of a defile, but cannot speak. Mr. L ——, the jocular Yorkshire member, is supposed to be the most consummately impudent man that ever passed the Humber. Waithman, the linendraper, spoke very well, and with great propriety; he has been an improved man ever since Lord Grey gave him such a beating. Mr. Ellis, son of Lord Mendip, appears upon the London arena;—politics unknown; a very gentleman-like, sensible young man, but, I fear, a Tory.

I met Lady C—— L—— last night,—the first time I have seen her since the book: a very cold manner on my part. Four sides of paper the next morning from her, and a plain and vigorous chastisement from me; but not uncivil. I am a great man for mercy; and I told her, if she would conduct herself with prudence and common sense, her conduct would in time be forgotten.

170 MEMOIR OF THE REV. SYDNEY SMITH.

We had a large party at the Berrys’ last night; very agreeable, and everybody there.

Antonio is married to one of the under cook-maids, which makes the French cook very angry, as an interference with his department and perquisites. They report that Pidcock, of the Exeter Change, is to take Antonio.

Tierney (not, as you know, inclined to be sanguine) is in very good spirits, and expects great divisions.

Tell my Lord, if he wants to read a good savoury ecclesiastical pamphlet, to read Jonas Dennis’s ‘Concio Cleri,’ a book of about one hundred and fifty pages: he is the first parson who has caught scent of the Roman Catholic Bill, passed at the end of the last Parliament; and no she-bear robbed of her whelps can be more furious.

A new actor has appeared, a Mr. Farren, an Irishman; very much admired. I have not heard him, for I never go to plays, and should not care (except for the amusement of others) if there was no theatre in the whole world; it is an art intended only for amusement, and it never amuses me. We are very gay here, and S—— takes it kindly and is not afraid.

Sydney Smith.