A few words to dear Lady Grey. Since —— has taken the field, both parties are become more bloody-minded, and a civil war is expected. The arch-Radicals allow a return of two hundred and sixty Tories, and count upon fifteen Stanleians. This was Warburton’s statement to me the other day. Tories claim more; but, by the admission of their greatest enemies, they are, you see, the strongest of the four parties in the House of Commons. I missed Howick’s speech. He is a very honest and clever man, and a valuable politician.
My daughter, Mrs. Holland, was confined three or four days ago of a little girl, and is doing very well. I am glad it is a girl; all little boys ought to be put to death.
| 358 | MEMOIR OF THE REV. SYDNEY SMITH. |
Thank you for the speech. Very good and very honest. I agree with you entirely as to the difficulty of finding anybody in the relics of the Whigs fit to govern the country. —— and ——, who have every other qualification for governing, want that legion of devils in the interior, without whose aid mankind cannot be ruled.
I have no doubt whatever that Sir Robert Peel is sincere in his Church Reform. Bishops nearly equalized,—pluralities, canons, and prebendaries abolished,—tithes commuted,—and residence enforced. A much more severe bill than Whigs could have ventured upon.
Pray excuse my writing to you so often; but I am learning to write clear and straight, and it is necessary I should write a letter every day. I hear you are to be here by the end of the month. If you put it off for a week or two, you will perhaps not be here till the end of the Monarchy.
