Sydney Smith had long been styled by his friends the ’Bishop of Mickleham,’ in allusion to his visits to, and influence in, the house of his friend, Richard Sharp, who had a cottage at that place.  A piece of real preferment was now his.  This was the living of Foston-le-Clay, in Yorkshire, given him by Lord Erskine, then Chancellor.  Lady Holland never rested till she had prevailed on Erskine to give Sydney Smith a living.  Smith, as Rogers relates, went to thank his lordship.  ‘Oh,’ said Erskine, ’don’t thank me, Mr. Smith; I gave you the living because Lady Holland insisted on my doing so; and if she had desired me to give it to the devil, he must have had it.’

Notwithstanding the prediction of the saints, Sydney Smith proved an excellent parish priest.  Even his most admiring friends did not expect this result.  The general impression was, that he was infinitely better fitted for the bar than for the church.  ‘Ah!  Mr. Smith,’ Lord Stowell used to say to him, ’you would be in a far better situation, and a far richer man, had you belonged to us.’

One jeu d’esprit more, and Smith hastened to take possession of his living, and to enter upon duties of which no one better knew the mighty importance than he did.

Among the Mackintosh set was Richard Sharp, to whom we have already referred, termed, from his great knowledge and ready memory, ‘Conversation Sharp.’  Many people may think that this did not imply an agreeable man, and they were, perhaps, right.  Sharp was a plain, ungainly man.  One evening, a literary lady, now living, being at Sir James Mackintosh’s, in company with Sharp, Sismondi, and the late Lord Denman, then a man of middle age.  Sir James was not only particularly partial to Denman, but admired him personally.  ’Do you not think Denman handsome?’ he inquired of the lady after the guests were gone.  ’No?  Then you must think Mr. Sharp handsome,’ he rejoined; meaning that a taste so perverted as not to admire Denman must be smitten with Sharp.  Sharp is said to have studied all the morning before he went out to dinner, to get up his wit and anecdote, as an actor does his part.  Sydney Smith having one day received an invitation from him to dine at Fishmongers’ Hall, sent the following reply:—­

  ’Much do I love
  The monsters of the deep to eat;
  To see the rosy salmon lying,
  By smelts encircled, born for frying;
  And from the china boat to pour
  On flaky cod the flavoured shower. 
  Thee above all, I much regard,
  Flatter than Longman’s flattest bard,
  Much-honour’d turbot! sore I grieve
  Thee and thy dainty friends to leave. 
  Far from ye all, in snuggest corner,
  I go to dine with little Horner;
  He who with philosophic eye
  Sat brooding o’er his Christmas pie;
  Then firm resolved, with either thumb,
  Tore forth the crust-enveloped plum;
  And mad with youthful dreams of deathless fame,
  Proclaimed the deathless glories of his name.’