l and profound views of the human mind as well as body, that
it could not but be interesting to you, and would prove to you for
my present purpose that he is a person whose estimation and whose
praise is worthy of you....

I do not know whether you made acquaintance, when you were in
London, with Sydney Smith's brother, Mr. Robert S., or, as he is
strangely cognomened (or nicknamed) Bobus Smith. He is well known
as one of the celebrities of Holland House, where he has been
figuring this half-century. But he no longer figures as a
diner-out, and indeed, I believe from that notoriety he always
seceded. He is now old and blind, but nevertheless has a most
intelligent, energetic countenance, and I should almost say
penetrating eye. When he turns and seems to look at me, I feel as
if he looked into my face, and am glad so to feel, as he encourages
me to open my mind to him by opening his own at once to me. I saw
him for the first time a few evenings ago at Dr. Holland's, and sat
between him and your American ambassador, Mr. Everett. I was much
pleased by their manner towards each other, and by all they said
of the letter of which I spoke. Mr. R. Smith has, in the opinion of
all who know him and his brother, the strongest and highest and
deepest powers of the two; not so much wit, but a more sound,
logical understanding--superior might in the reasoning faculty. If
the two brothers' hands grasped and grappled for mastery, with
elbows set down upon the table, in the fashion in which schoolboys
and others try strength, Robert Smith's hand would be uppermost,
and Sydney must give way, _laughing_ perhaps, and pretending that
he only gave way to fight another day. But independently of victory
or trials of strength, the earnestness for truth of the blind
brother would decide my interest and sympathy in his favor.

Mr. Everett and Mr. R. Smith seemed to me properly to esteem each
other, and to speak with perfect courtesy and discretion upon the
most delicate national questions, on which, in truth, they
liberally agreed more than could have been or was expected by the
bystanders of different parties. Oh, Party Spirit! Party Spirit!
how many follies, how many outrages are committed in thy name, even
in common conversation!

Mr. Everett did me the honor to c