Saba, Lady Holland (; 1802–1866) was the eldest daughter of

Sydney Smith Sydney Smith (3 June 1771 – 22 February 1845) was an English wit, writer, and Anglican cleric. Early life and education Born in Woodford, Essex, England, Smith was the son of merchant Robert Smith (1739–1827) and Maria Olier (1750–1801), ...

and the second wife of Sir Henry Holland, a prominent physician and travel writer, with whom she had two daughters. She made a name for herself as the author of a much-read

memoir A memoir (; , ) is any nonfiction narrative writing based in the author's personal memories. The assertions made in the work are thus understood to be factual. While memoir has historically been defined as a subcategory of biography or autobi ...

of her famous father. Some of Smith's often-quoted sayings were first recorded in Lady Holland's memoir, including:

''Why, you never expected justice from a company, did you? They have neither a soul to lose, nor a body to kick.''

and

''Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea? How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea. I can drink any quantity when I have not tasted wine.; otherwise I am haunted by blue devils by day, and dragons by night.''

Her daughters were Caroline Holland (1834–1909; author of ''Notebooks of a Spinster Lady'', published posthumously in 1919) and Gertrude Holland (1840–1898).

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1802 births 1866 deaths 19th-century British women writers British memoirists Burials at Kensal Green Cemetery Wives of baronets British women memoirists 19th-century memoirists {{UK-writer-stub