, from whom I could have received and did receive advice or
remonstrance with perfect comfort, because I could be sure of the
unmixed motives and entire absence of self-reflection, with which it
would come from them. Shelley said to me once, "I know not what Horace
Smith must take me for sometimes: I am afraid he must think me a strange
fellow: but is it not odd, that the only truly generous person I ever
knew, who had money to be generous with, should be a stockbroker! And he
writes poetry, too," continued Shelley, his voice rising in a fervor of
astonishment; "he writes poetry and pastoral dramas, and yet knows how
to make money, and does make it, and is still generous!" Shelley had
reason to like him. Horace Smith was one of the few men, who, through a
cloud of detraction, and through all that difference of conduct from the
rest of the world, which naturally excites obloquy, discerned the
greatness of my friend's character. Indeed, he became a witness to a
very unequivocal proof of it, which I shall mention by-and-by. The
mutual esteem was accordingly very great, and arose from circumstances
most honorable to both parties. "I believe," said Shelley on another
occasion, "that I have only to say to Horace Smith that I want a hundred
pounds or two, and he would send it me without any eye to its being
returned; such faith has he that I have something within me, beyond what
the world supposes, and that I could only ask his money for a good
purpose." And Shelley would have sent for it accordingly, if the person
for whom it was intended had not said Nay. I will now mention the
circumstance which first gave my friend a regard for Horace Smith. It
concerns the person just mentioned, who is a man of letters. It came to
Mr. Smith's knowledge, many years ago, that this person was suffering
under a pecuniary trouble. He knew little of him at the time, but had
met him occasionally; and he availed himself of this circumstance to
write him a letter as full of delicacy and cordiality as it could hold,
making it a matter of grace to accept a bank-note of L100 which he
inclosed. I speak on the best authority, that of the obliged person
himself; who adds that he not only did accept the money, but felt as
light and happy under the obligation, as he has felt miserable under the
very report of being obliged to some; and he says, that nothing could
induce him to withhold his name, but a reason, which the generous,
during his lifetime, would t