LORD  BYRON  and  his  TIMES
Byron
Documents Biography Criticism
A Memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith
Letters 1837
Thomas Singleton to Sydney Smith, 3 February 1837
INTRODUCTION & INDEXES
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
GO TO PAGE NUMBER:
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
Creative Commons License

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Produced by CATH
 
Alnwick Castle, Feb. 3rd, 1837.
My dear Sir,

You may suppose that I have long since read your letter with the greatest interest and admiration; but I would not write to you till I could learn how it would make its way with such persons and parties as came under my cognizance. The result of my inquiries has been most satisfactory. It sells in country book-shops, where the question was never known or considered, till you gave life and spirit, as well as argument, to the discussion. High Tories indeed regret the exposure of the Bishops, but in the same breath admit the justice and necessity of it; whilst the Whigs, being now compelled to repudiate the errors of the Commission, have left it powerless, and, if we believe the ‘Times,’ almost a “caput mortuum.”

That a serious impression has been made there can be no doubt; and forgive me if I say that you, who have done so much, may yet do more. Could you not see Lord —— privately and in confidence, before the 16th of February (for which day notice for his motion on this subject has been given), and urge upon
398MEMOIR OF THE REV. SYDNEY SMITH.
him such an alteration and increase of the Commission, as, in the spirit of justice and impartiality, may effect such a reform as will propitiate the public without violating the honest feelings, and much less the oaths and consciences, of the clergy? There never has been, and there never will be again, so fair and fit an opportunity for practical amendment. The profession is ready and expectant. The public, calm, and perhaps indifferent. There is neither impatience within, nor pressure from without. If this opportunity of correcting abuses and modifying anomalies be now lost, it will occur no more in our generation.

Frankly, it seems to me that you have a chance of more effectually serving and saving the Church of England than any individual has ever enjoyed.

I remain, my dear Sir, ever yours, with esteem and regard,

Th. S. Singleton.