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A Memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith
Letters 1827
Sydney Smith to Messrs. Hunt and Clarke, [30 June 1827]
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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Foston, July 30th, 1827.
Gentlemen,

I have received from you within these few months some very polite and liberal presents of new publica-
278MEMOIR OF THE REV. SYDNEY SMITH.
tions; and, though I was sorry you put yourselves to any expense on my account, yet I was flattered by this mark of respect and goodwill from gentlemen to whom I am personally unknown.

I am quite sure however that you overlooked the purpose and tendency of a work called ——, or that you would not have sent it to a clergyman of the Established Church, or indeed to a clergyman of any church. I see also advertised at your house a translation of Voltaire’s ‘Philosophical Dictionary.’ I hope you will have the goodness to excuse me, and not to attribute what I say to an impertinent, but a friendly, disposition. Let us pass over, for a moment, all those much higher considerations, and look at this point only in a worldly view, as connected with your interests. Is it wise to give to your house the character of publishers of infidel books? The English people are a very religious people, and those who are not, hate the active dissemination of irreligion. The zealots of irreligion are few and insignificant, and confined principally to London. You have not a chance of eminence or success in that line; and I advise you prudently and quietly to back out of it.

I hate the insolence, persecution, and intolerance which so often pass under the name of religion, and (as you know) I have fought against them; but I have an unaffected horror of irreligion and impiety; and every principle of suspicion and fear would be excited in me by a man who professed himself an infidel.

I write this from respect to you. It is quite a private communication, and I am sure you are too wise and too enlightened to take it in evil part.

I was very much pleased with the ‘Two Months in
MEMOIR OF THE REV. SYDNEY SMITH.279
Ireland,’ but did not read the poetical part; the prosaic division of the work is very good.

I remain, Gentlemen, yours faithfully,
Sydney Smith.