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A Memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith
Letters 1809
Sydney Smith to Lord Grey, 3 October 1809
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
Creative Commons License

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
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October 3rd, 1809.
Dear Lord Grey,

I have been meditating a visit to Howick Castle, and was meditating it before Lord Castlereagh shot Mr. Canning in the thigh, which will make you Secretary of State. If they do not choose to surrender, and attempt to patch up an Administration, then you will remain in the country; and I purpose to stay with you a few days, if you will accept my company, towards the end of the month. I suspect, however, before that period you will be evacuating Walcheren, contracting for bark and port-wine, selling off the transports, and putting an end to that system of vigour which, when displayed by individuals instead of nations, is usually mitigated by a strait waistcoat and low diet.

There is no man who thinks better of what you and your coadjutors can and will do; but I cannot help looking upon it as a most melancholy proof of the miserable state of this country, when men of integrity and ability are employed. If it were possible to have gone on without them, I am sure they would never have been thought of. Yours ever most truly,

Sydney Smith.