Sydney Smith

George William Erskine RussellProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 449K words
Chapters: 45

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Sydney Smith by George William Erskine RussellAuthor: Russell, George William Erskine, 1853-1919,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jul 22, 2004

Editor's review

This book is a biography of Sydney Smith—the celebrated nineteenth-century English clergyman, orator, and co-founder of the Edinburgh Review—written by George William Erskine Russell; it is a public-domain English biography. Its value lies not in sensational revelations but in restoring, from a contemporary's perspective, the image of a thinker known for wit, generosity, and social concern, showing how nineteenth-century English religious controversy, political reform, and literary life converged in one person. Russell, the subject's nephew, had access to a wealth of letters and anecdotes; his narrative is restrained and humane, making the book a good introduction to the circle of Whig intellectuals and the ecology of Victorian public speech. Readers should note that the original is in English and was written long ago, with period rhetorical habits and dense allusions and personal connections. Read it as a biography situated in its historical context; notes or background materials will help readers better appreciate the moral concern behind the subject's humor.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in nineteenth-century English literature and intellectual history
Those who enjoy English biography and want to learn about Sydney Smith
Beginning readers studying English religious controversy and Whig public discourse
General readers who wish to sense the spirit of the age through letters and anecdotes

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking a systematic academic critical biography or contemporary critical research
Readers who struggle with English and need a Chinese translation
Readers who only want a quick chronology of the subject's life and conclusions

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and opening chapters to establish the subject's era and social circle, then move into details.
Take notes on the many names and periodical allusions, or read alongside background on nineteenth-century English politics and religion.
Treat the letters and anecdotes quoted in the book as clues to the subject's character and note the social concern behind his humor.
Read in sections, and after each part review the subject's activities in religion, politics, and literature.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Was this book written by Sydney Smith himself?

No. It is a biography of Sydney Smith by George William Erskine Russell; the subject was a nineteenth-century English clergyman, orator, and co-founder of the Edinburgh Review, and the author recounts his life and views from the perspective of a relative and contemporary.

What level of English is needed to read this book?

The original is in English and was written long ago; its syntax and diction have a nineteenth-century flavor and involve many names, periodicals, and religious and political allusions. Readers with strong English reading ability who are willing to look up background will find it smoother; otherwise, they may first learn about the subject's life from Chinese materials.

Is this book suitable for academic citation?

It is an early public-domain biography and can serve as a historical source for the subject's life, anecdotes, and contemporary impressions, but it should not be treated as the latest conclusion of contemporary scholarship. When citing it, note the date of composition and the author's standpoint, and check other research.

Why do letters and anecdotes appear so frequently in the book?

The author, Russell, was related to the subject and had access to letters and recollections of relatives and friends, so he used these materials to build a portrait of character. This content helps restore the subject's wit and personality, but it also makes the narrative loose, so readers need to sort out the chronology and relationships themselves.

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About the author

George William Erskine Russell Author · British · 1853–1919

George William Erskine Russell (1853–1919) was a British biographer, memoirist and Liberal politician. Born in London and educated at University College, Oxford, he sat in the House of Commons for Aylesbury and Biggleswade, served as Under-Secretary at the India Office and the Home Office under Gladstone and Rosebery, and was made a Privy Counsellor in 1907. His writings combine political observation with character portraiture. He is the author of a life of Gladstone, Matthew Arnold and Sydney Smith, as well as several volumes of reminiscence, including Collections and Recollections, Fifteen Chapters of Autobiography, Seeing and Hearing and Prime Ministers and Some Others. His graceful style and first-hand knowledge vividly evoke Victorian public life.