A Memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith
Letters 1819
Sydney Smith to Lady Grey, 5 February 1819
20, Saville-row, Feb. 5th, 1819.
Dear Lady Grey,
Tierney made a very good speech, very
well calculated to get votes. Frankland
Lewis did very well. Mr.
Maberley introduced some very striking arguments, but got wrong
toward the end. This is the Augustan age of aldermen. Alderman Heygate has far exceeded Waithman, who spoke very well.
Nothing will, I believe, be said, by way of eulogium, upon
Romilly and
Elliott; a foolish, parading practice, very properly
put an end to.
When you come to town again, pray see the new Custom-house.
The attractive objects in it are the long room, one of the finest I ever saw in
my life; and the facade, towards the river. I have also seen, this day, the
Mint, which I think would please you. Lord
Grey’s Miss
O’Neil is accused of ranting.
Antonio at last ran away and offered himself to Lady C—— L——. She has taken two days to
consider of it.
Lord Grey will like that article in the
Edinburgh Review upon
‘Universal
Suffrage:’ it is by Sir James
Mackintosh. There is a pamphlet on Bullion, by Mr. Copplestone, of Oxford, much read; but
bullion, I think, is not a favourite dish at Howick.
Edward Copleston, bishop of Llandaff (1776-1849)
Educated at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, he was a fellow of Oriel, Oxford Professor of
Poetry (1802-12), dean of St. Paul's (1827-1849), and bishop of Llandaff (1827-49); he
published
Three Replies to the Calumnies of the Edinburgh Review
(1810-11).
Charles Grey, second earl Grey (1764-1845)
Whig statesman and lover of the Duchess of Devonshire; the second son of the first earl
(d. 1807), he was prime minister (1831-34).
Lady Caroline Lamb [née Ponsonby] (1785-1828)
Daughter of the third earl of Bessborough; she married the Hon. William Lamb (1779-1848)
and fictionalized her infatuation with Lord Byron in her first novel,
Glenarvon (1816).
Sir Thomas Frankland Lewis, first baronet (1780-1855)
The grandson of Admiral Sir Thomas Frankland; educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford,
he held government offices and was a Tory MP for Beaumaris (1812-26) and Radnorshire
(1827-28, 1830-39, 1847-55).
William Leader Maberly (1798-1885)
The son of John Maberly MP; educated at at Eton College and at Brasenose College, Oxford,
he served as an officer and was MP for Westbury (1819-20), Northampton (1820-30),
Shaftesbury (1831–32), and Chatham (1832-34). He was secretary of the Post Office from
1836.
Sir James Mackintosh (1765-1832)
Scottish philosopher and man of letters who defended the French Revolution in
Vindiciae Gallicae (1791); he was Recorder of Bombay (1803-1812) and
MP for Knaresborough (1819-32).
Elizabeth O'Neill (1791-1872)
Irish-born actress who excelled in parts such as Ellen in the adaptation of Scott's
The Lady of the Lake; she retired in 1819 following her marriage to
William Wrixon-Becher (1780-1850), Irish MP.
Sir Samuel Romilly (1757-1818)
Reformer of the penal code and the author of
Thoughts on Executive
Justice (1786); he was a Whig MP and Solicitor-General who died a suicide.
George Tierney (1761-1830)
Whig MP and opposition leader whose political pragmatism made him suspect in the eyes of
his party; he fought a bloodless duel with Pitt in 1798. He is the “Friend of Humanity” in
Canning and Frere's “The Needy Knife-Grinder.”
Robert Waithman (1764-1833)
Political reformer, MP, and Lord Mayor of London (1823-24); he was a linen-draper by
trade.