[i]

A BOOK FOR A RAINY DAY

[ii]

JOHN THOMAS SMITH

AUTHOR OF “NOLLEKENS AND HIS TIMES,” “A BOOK FOR A RAINY DAY,” ETC.

[iii]

A BOOK
FOR A RAINY DAY

OR RECOLLECTIONS OF THE
EVENTS OF THE YEARS 1766-1833

BY
JOHN THOMAS SMITH

EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES
BY
WILFRED WHITTEN

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM CONTEMPORARY PRINTS

METHUEN & CO.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C.
LONDON

[iv]

This Edition was first Published in 1905

[v]

AUTHOR’S PREFACE

The highly flattering manner in which my work,entitled Nollekens and his Times, was generallyreceived, induced me to collect numerous scattered biographicalpapers, which I have considerably augmentedwith a variety of subjects, arranged chronologically, accordingto the years of my life.

Some may object to my vanity, in expecting the readerof the following pages to be pleased with so heterogeneousa dish. It is, I own, what ought to be called a salmagundi,or it may be likened to various suits of clothes, made upof remnants of all colours. One promise I can make, thatas my pieces are mostly of new cloth, they will last thelonger. Dr. Johnson has said:

“All knowledge is of itself of some value. Thereis nothing so minute or inconsiderable, that I would notrather know, than not.”

Lord Orrery, in a letter to Dr. Birch, dated November,1741, makes the following observation:

“I look upon anecdotes as debts due to the public,which every man, when he has that kind of cash by him,ought to pay.”

J. T. Smith.

[vi]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS