I heard, when I was in London, that my old correspondent, Archdeacon Singleton, would be the first Tory bishop. He is a great friend of Peel’s; they could not select a better man.

I pass my life in reading. The moment my eyes fail, I must give up my country preferment. I have met with nothing new or very well worth meeting, except the curious discoveries of ancient American cities in Mexico, by Stephens; which, I presume, has

* Enclosed in the above letter was the portrait of Lord Holland, to be found in the Memoir, p. 285.

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been read at Howick. I am very glad Lord Howick is in Parliament: his honesty, ability, and rank make it desirable for the country he should be there.

I hope Lord Grey has read, and likes, Macaulay’s review of Warren Hastings. It is very much admired. I believe he is unaffectedly glad to have given up office. Literature is his vocation.

I shall be very curious to know the impression America produces on Lord Morpeth. He is acute, and his opinions always very just. It is a fortunate thing for the world, that the separate American States are making such progress in dishonesty, and are absolutely and plainly refusing to pay their debts. They would soon have been too formidable, if they had added the moral power of good faith to their physical strength.

I beg my kind regards to Lord Grey and Lady Georgiana; and remain always, dear Lady Grey, with sincere respect and affection, your friend,

I have suffered a great deal this winter from dulness and ennui. I am not one of those mortals that have “infinite resources in themselves,” but am fitted up with the commonest materials, and require to be amused. However, I shall soon be in London, where I will take my revenge. Hibbert not being here, I have had no one to argue with. The neighbouring

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clergy never attempt it, or they are checkmated the second or third move. Such sort of rumours as you allude to are disagreeable, especially to young people, who imagine mankind have left off hunting, shooting, and ploughing, to speculate upon them.

Are you not struck with the diplomatic gallantry of Lord Ashburton? He resembles Regulus. I tell him that the real cause of the hostility of America is, that we are more elegant, and speak better English than they do.

The opening of the Session was very milk-and-watery. The secession of the —— is a great accession of strength to Peel. —— is, besides his violence, a weak, foolish man. I met him two or three times at Mr. ——’s, and have no doubt that he is anserous and asinine.

I want very much to write something, but cannot bring myself to do it,—principally from the great number of topics which offer themselves, all of which would be equally agreeable to me. I am very glad you have thrown away your last fit of gout. Considering your dreadful indulgences in the second course, I think they have let you off very easily. Mrs. Sydney has certainly taken a new lease. She is become less, can walk, and has much more enjoyment of life. I am very well, asthma excepted. God bless you, dear Philips!

Many thanks for your kindness in sending me the Pilgrimage, which I have read with real pleasure; it is all good, but what I like best is the 53rd, and that train of thought followed out in the subsequent stanzas. The toil and heat of the journey supported by the animation of the religious scenery; this is truly poetical. I thought also the end very beautiful.

A most melancholy occurrence,—the death of poor Singleton! So unexpected, and so premature! He was an excellent specimen of an English clergyman, and I most heartily and sincerely regret his loss. We shall be very glad to see you here. This is the spot, I am convinced, where all the evils of life are soonest forgotten and most easily endured.

I have no news to tell you. We are all talking here of India and Income; the one circumscribed by the Affghans, and the other by Peel. The Duke of Norfolk is dead.

John Grey seems to be a very sensible, pleasing

* Now the Earl of Ellesmere.

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young man. His refusal of the living of Sunbury convinces me that he is not fond of gudgeon-fishing. I had figured to myself you and Lord Grey and myself engaged in that occupation upon the river Thames.

Now, touching our stay with you, dear young lady, you said, “Stay longer: one day is not enough;” and I myself think such a sojourning hasty and fugacious. It all comes from my modesty; but Mrs. Sydney tells me I am endurable for two days, so we will stay with

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you till Friday morning after breakfast, you and my Lord being willing, which I shall suppose you are, unless I hear to the contrary.

Combe Florey looked beautiful, and our parsonage the perfection of comfort. I have now put off my chrysalis wings, and assume the grub state. You re-

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main, dear Georgiana, a chrysalis all the year round,—for there is very little difference between Bishopthorpe and Piccadilly, and none between Nuneham and Grosvenor-square.

I am extremely glad to hear that Lady Philips and you are so well. Mrs. Sydney and I are resolved to follow your example, and have been imitating you in this particular for some time. The only point in which our practice differs is, that Mrs. Sydney and I get larger and larger, as we get older; you and Lady Philips become less and less. You will die of smallness,—we shall perish from diameter. There has certainly been some serious mistake about this summer. It was intended for the tropics; and some hot country is cursed with our cold rainy summer, losing all its cloves and nutmegs, scarcely able to ripen a pineapple out of doors, or to squeeze a hogshead of sugar from the cane.

I agree in all you say about the Income Tax. Never was there such an obscure piece of penmanship! It must have been drawn up by some one as ignorant of law language as Dr. —— is of medicine. What dreadful blunders that poor Medico will make! Dreadful

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will be the confusion between the schedules; worse than the confusion of phials by that nasty little boy, Robert Rhubarb, in his shop, whom he has taken as his apprentice, at a pound a year and his breeches.

There seems to be some appearance as if Lord Ashburton had effected his object. He writes home that he may be expected any day, and that they are to write no more; and the papers say that the heads of the treaty are agreed upon. If he have completed his object, it is one of the cleverest and most brilliant things done in my time, and he has honestly won his earldom. I never had much belief in his success, because I did not imagine that the Americans ever really intended to give up a cause of quarrel, which might hereafter be so subservient to their ambition and extension. God bless you, my dear old friend!

I am heartily sorry for the necessity which takes you to Italy. You have many friends, who will be truly anxious for your welfare and happiness; pray place us on that list. The constant kindness and at-

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tention I have received from Lord Wenlock and yourself have bound me over to you, and made me sincerely your friend, and your highly obliged friend. I will write you a line now and then, if you will permit me, to tell you how the world literary and ecclesiastical is going on.

I beg to be kindly remembered to Miss Lawley, whom Mrs. Sydney and I have fairly fallen in love with; so affable, so natural, so handsome,—you will never keep her long, for I should think it a perfect infamy in any young man of rank and fortune to be three days in her company without making her an offer.

My kindest wishes and earnest benediction for you and yours, dear Lady Wenlock,

I hope you have survived the heat; I have done so, out with some difficulty. After the heat came the

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riots. The only difference between these and the former manufacturing riots is, that the mob have got hold, under the name of Chartism, of some plan for political innovation; but that plan is so foolish, that I do not think it will be long-lived.

If any one bearing the name of Grey comes this way, send him to us: I am Grey-men-ivorous. God bless you, dear Lady Grey! I will not scold you any more; silent or scribbling, you shall have your own way, provided you will believe me to be your affectionate friend,

What have I to tell you of our old friends? Lady —— is tolerably well, with two courses and a French cook. She has fitted up her lower rooms in a very pretty style, and there receives the shattered remains of the symposiasts of the house. Lady —— has captivated Mr. ——, though they have not proceeded to the extremities of marriage. Mr. —— is going gently down-hill, trusting that the cookery in another planet may be at least as good as in this; but not without

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apprehensions that for misconduct here he may be sentenced to a thousand years of tough mutton, or condemned to a little eternity of family dinners.

I have just sent a long letter to the brother of Francis Horner, which he is to publish in his Memoir of my old friend. I had great pleasure in writing it. You

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and Lord Carlisle will, I am sure, justify all the good I have said of him.

Even Archbishops of Canterbury must die. Archbishops of York seem to be the only persons exempt. I wonder who will succeed. It is of great importance that Archbishops should be tall. They ought not to take them under six feet, without their shoes or wigs. Lord Liverpool meant to elevate Kaye, the Bishop of Lincoln, if the see of Canterbury had become vacant in his time; but the Church would not last twenty years with such a little man.

I hope you are well and happy, dear Lady Carlisle, and that every Victoria’s head that reaches Castle Howard brings you pleasing intelligence of sons, daughters, and grandchildren.

How did the Queen receive you? What was the general effect of her visit? Was it well managed? Does she show any turn for metaphysics? Have you had much company in the Highlands?

Mrs. Sydney and I are both in fair health,—such health as is conceded to moribundity and caducity.

Horner applied to me, and I sent him a long letter upon the subject of his brother, which he likes, and means to publish in his Memoirs. He seeks the same contribution from Jeffrey. Pray say to Jeffrey that he ought to send it. It is a great pity that the subject has been so long deferred. The mischief has all pro-

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ceeded from the delays of poor Whishaw, who cared too much about reputation, to do anything in a period compatible with the shortness of human life. If you have seen Jeffrey, tell me how he is, and if you think he will stand his work.

We have the railroad now within five miles. Bath in two hours, London in six,—in short, everywhere in no time! Every fresh accident on the railroads is an advantage, and leads to an improvement. What we want is, an overturn which would kill a bishop, or, at least, a dean. This mode of conveyance would then become perfect. We have had but little company here this summer. Luttrell comes next week. I have given notice to the fishmongers, and poulterers, and fruit-women! Ever, dear Murray, your sincere friend,

I have no belief at all in the general decay of English manufactures; and I believe before Christmas the infernal regions of Manchester will be in an uproar of manufacturing activity. I have made my return of income, but I have done it by the light of nature, unassisted by the Act. They should not put such men as Dr. W—— to interpret difficult Acts. Your friend Rolfe is always liked by the Bar. He gives universal satisfaction.

I hear that Lady Philips is a good deal alarmed at the idea of Vigne, the traveller in Caboul, being a Mahometan. I have no belief that he is so; but you

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had better inquire of Dr. Wright about it, and that will put the clergyman of the parish at his ease.

It seems quite useless to kill the Chinese. It is like killing flies in July; a practice which tires the crudest schoolboy. I really do not know what is to be done, unless to send Napier, who, for a sum of money, would dethrone the Emperor, and bring him here. You should read Napier’s two little volumes of the war in Portugal. He is an heroic fellow, equal to anything in Plutarch; and moreover a long-headed, clever hero, who takes good aim before he fires. I had a letter yesterday from Howick. They are all expecting in Northumberland that the Queen will return by land.

I am sorry to hear Allen is not well; but the reduction of his legs is a pure and unmixed good; they are enormous,—they are clerical! He has the creed of a philosopher and the legs of a clergyman; I never saw such legs,—at least, belonging to a layman.

Read ‘A Life in the Forest,’ skipping nimbly; but there is much of good in it.

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It is a bore, I admit, to be past seventy, for you are left for execution, and are daily expecting the death-warrant; but, as you say, it is not anything very capital we quit. We are, at the close of life, only hurried away from stomach-aches, pains in the joints, from sleepless nights and unamusing days, from weakness, ugliness, and nervous tremors; but we shall all meet again in another planet, cured of all our defects. —— will be less irritable; —— more silent; —— will assent; Jeffrey will speak slower; Bobus will be just as he is; I shall be more respectful to the upper clergy; but I shall have as lively a sense as I now have of all your kindness and affection for me.

You wrote me a very kind letter; I am very much obliged to you for it. I am very proud of the friendship of yourself and Lord Grey, and value myself more, because you set some value upon me. Luttrell is staying here; he is remarkably well, considering that he has been remarkably well for so many years. You never seem tired of Howick, or if you are, you do not confess it. I am more unfortunate or more honest. I tire of Combe Florey after two months, and sigh for a change, even for the worse. This disposition in me is hereditary; my father lived, within my recollection, in nineteen different places.

Lord Ashburton seems to have done very well. The treaty can hardly be a bad one; any concession was better than war. He owes his success, not more to his own dexterity, than to the present poverty and distress of America. They are in a state of humiliation. The State of Pennsylvania cheats me this year out of £50. There is nothing in the crimes of kings worse than this villany of democracy. The mob positively refuse all taxation for the payment of State debts.

I have heard from several London people the details of —— ——. It is among the most remarkable

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events of my time, and very frightful. I never longed to steal anything but some manuscript sermons from my brother clergymen, and I have hitherto withstood the temptation.

Mrs. Sydney and I are in tolerable health,—both better than we were when you lived in England; but there is much more of us, so that you will find you were only half acquainted with us! I wish I could add that the intellectual faculties had expanded in proportion to the augmentation of flesh and blood.

There are plenty of people in London, dear Lady

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Grey, as there always are. I am leading a life almost as riotous as in the middle of June. Have you read Macaulay’s ‘Lays’? They are very much liked. I have read some of them, but I abhor all Grecian and Roman subjects.

Kind regards to my Lord, and to Georgiana, the honest and the true; and much affection from your old friend,

Look over this,* and if you like it, copy it, and return it here before the 6th of December. They are

* This Sermon was published after Mr. Sydney Smith’s death. “We are perplexed, but not in despair,” etc.

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common arguments, but I know no other;—and attribute what I send not to vanity, but kindness,—for your state affected me very much. I will call upon you very soon. Ever yours,

* Of the writer’s Works.

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I have just read young Philips’s review of Alison, and think it very good. It is well expressed, and the censure is conveyed in a much more gentle manner than characterizes the Edinburgh Review, or than did characterize it, when I had anything to do with it. I am not sure that it is not every now and then languid and feeble, and certainly it has the universal fault of being a great deal too long. What is required in a review? As much knowledge and information upon any one subject as can be condensed into eight or ten pages. You must not bring me a loaf when I ask for a crust, or a joint of meat when I petition for a sandwich.

Did you ever read ‘Le Père Goriot,’ by Balzac, or ‘La Messe de l’Athée’? They are very good, and perfectly readable for ladies and gentlemen.