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In writing this Study of Sydney Smith, I have been working in aharvest-field where a succession of diligent gleaners had preceded me.
As soon as Sydney Smith died, his widow began to accumulate material forher husband's biography. She did not live to see the work accomplished, butshe enjoined in her will that some record of his life should be written.The duty was undertaken by his daughter, Saba Lady Holland, who in 1855published A Memoir of the Reverend Sydney Smith. To this memoir wassubjoined a volume of extracts from his letters, compiled by his friend andadmirer Mrs. Austin.
For nearly thirty years Lady Holland's Memoir and Mrs, Austin's Selectionof Letters together constituted the sole Biography of Sydney Smith, andthey still remain of prime authority; but they are lamentably inaccurate indates.
Lord Houghton's slight but vivid monograph was published in 1873. In 1884Mr. Stuart Reid produced A Sketch of the Life and Times of Sydney Smith,in which he supplemented the earlier narrative with some traditions derivedfrom friends then living, and "painted the figure of Sydney Smith againstthe background of his times." In 1898 the late Sir Leslie Stephencontributed an article on Sydney Smith to the Dictionary of NationalBiography; but added little to what was already known.
On these various writings I have perforce relied, for their respectiveauthors seemed to have exhausted all available resources. Lord Carlisle hassome of Sydney Smith's letters at Castle Howard, and Lord Ilchester hassome at Holland House; but both assure me that everything worth publishinghas already been published.
I have, however, been more fortunate in my application to my cousin, Mr.Rollo Russell, and to four of Sydney Smith's descendants—Mr. SydneyHolland, Mr. Holland-Hibbert of Munden, Miss Caroline Holland, and Mrs.Cropper of Ellergreen. To all these my thanks are due for interestinginformation, and access to valuable records. In common with all who use theReading-Room of the British Museum, I am greatly indebted to the skill andcourtesy of Mr. G.F. Barwick.
So much for the biographical part of my work. In the critical part I haverelied less on authority, and more on my own devotion to Sydney Smith'swritings. That devotion dates from my schooldays at Harrow, and is due tothe kindness of my father. He had known "dear old Sydney" well, and gave methe Collected Works, exhorting me to study them as models of forcible andpointed English. From that day to this, I have had no more favouritereading.
November 12th, 1904.