A Memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith
Letters 1843
Sydney Smith to Harriet Grote, 17 July 1843
Combe Florey, July 17th,
1843.
I have been sadly tormented with the gout in my knee. I
had made great progress; but at the Archbishop’s I walked too much, and the gout came back.
My place looks very beautiful, and I really enjoy the
change. We were very sorry not to see you the evening you were to come to us;
but the temptation not to come, where you have engaged to come, is more than
you can resist: try refusing, and see what that
492 | MEMOIR OF THE REV. SYDNEY SMITH. | |
will do!
Mr. Grote was very agreeable and
sensible, as he always is. I met Brunel
at the Archbishop’s, and found him a very lively and intelligent man. He
said that when he coughed up the piece of gold, the two surgeons, the
apothecary, and physician all joined hands, and danced round the room for ten
minutes, without taking the least notice of his convulsed and half-strangled
state. I admire this very much.
Your sincere friend,
Sydney Smith.
George Grote (1794-1871)
English historian, a member of Bentham's circle and writer for the
Westminster Review; he was a founder of London University, of which he was
president in 1868, and MP for London (1832-41).
Edward Venables-Vernon Harcourt, archbishop of York (1757-1847)
The son of George Venables-Vernon, first Baron Vernon, educated at Westminster and
All-Souls College, Oxford; he was prebendary of Gloucester (1785-91), bishop of Carlisle
(1791-1807), and archbishop of York (1807-47).