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A Memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith
Letters 1844
Sydney Smith to Lady Grey, [12 August 1844]
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
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No date.
My dear Lady Grey,

I am beginning Burke’s Letters, or rather, have gone through one volume; full of details which do not interest me, and there are no signs yet of that beautiful and fruitful imagination which is the great charm of Burke. With the politics of so remote a period I do not concern myself.

The weather is improved here, and the harvest is got in; and a very good harvest it is.

I hope Lord Grey observes the ministerial relaxations towards the Catholics. It is a very difficult question to know what to do with O’Connell. The only question is, the pacification of Ireland, and the effect that his detention or liberation would produce upon that country. All private pique and anger must be swallowed up in this paramount object. Lord Heytesbury is a man of good sense. I have no fear of a French war as long as Louis Philippe is alive; and live he will, for they cannot hit him, and seem to have left off shooting at him in despair. After that, nothing but nonsense and folly; but before then, I shall probably be dead myself.

You talk of your climate: I dare say it has its evils, but nothing so bad as the enervating character of this. It would unstring the nerves of a giant, and demoralize the soul of Cato. We have just sent off a cargo of London people, who have been staying here three weeks. They say that all their principles and virtues are gone! My kindest regards to your noble patient.

Sydney Smith.