The New Student's Reference Work/Smith, Sydney

Smith, Syd′ney, an English author, was born at Woodford, Essex, June 3, 1771. He studied at Oxford and was curate at Netheravon where he became tutor to a young man intending to study in Germany, but the war prevented and sent them to Edinburgh. Here, in 1802, with Jeffrey, Homer and Brougham he started The Edinburgh Review, writing 18 articles in the first four numbers. He next lived six years in London, where he made his mark as a lecturer on philosophy, a preacher and a brilliant talker. He was made rector of Combe Florey in Somerset and a prebendary at St. Paul's, London. He wrote 65 articles for The Edinburgh Review; Peter Plymley's Letters in favor of Catholic emancipation; and letters and pamphlets on the ballot, the game-laws, prison abuses etc. He is best known, however, as a wit and the creator of “Mrs. Partington.” He died on Feb. 22, 1845. See Life by Holland and Reid's Times of Sydney Smith.