Sydney Smith. 141 



e 1 one lady's fan in his boot, and broke it, and made an 

 apology for it, and by his familiarity annoyed every one 

 present. I felt more pain for his host than shame for 

 himself. During the evening he made some unjust re- 

 marks about Mr. Lizars, and I rebuked him for it, tell- 

 ing him that he was my friend, and a good man. He 

 left soon after, to the great relief of all. 



" March 4. To-day the snow is so deep that the mails 

 from all quarters are interrupted, and people are wad- 

 dling through it in the streets, and giving a lively repre- 

 sentation of a Lapland winter. Breakfasted with the 

 Rev. Mr. Newbold, and afterwards was toted to church in 

 a sedan chair. I had never been in one before, and I 

 like to try everything which is going on on the face of 

 this strange world. But so long as I have two feet and 

 legs, I never desire to try one of these machines again ; 

 the quick up-and-down, short swinging motion, reminded 

 me of the sensations I felt during the great earthquake 

 in Kentucky. But I was repaid for the ride by hearing a 

 sermon from the Rev. Sydney Smith. It was a sermon 

 to me. Oh ! what a soul there must be in the body of 

 that famous man; what a mingling of energetic and 

 sweet thoughts, what a fount of goodness there must be 

 within him ! He made me smile, and he made me think 

 more deeply perhaps than I had ever before in my life. 

 He interested me now by painting my foibles, and then 

 he pained me by portraying my sins, until he made my 

 cheeks crimson with shame, and filled my heart with 

 penitential sorrow. And I left the church filled with 

 veneration for God, and reverence for the wonderful 

 man who is so noble an example of his marvellous handy- 

 work. We returned to Mr. Newbold's for lunch, and from 

 there I walked, tumbled, and pitched home in the deep 

 snow." 



March 5. In a letter to Mrs. Audubon of this date. 



