The improvement visible on Friday was maintained with some fluctuations through Sunday, and Mr Smith's son left to join his sisters in Devonshire. On Monday the 5th Smith was up and dressed in the drawing-room overlooking the Downs. He asked Mr Pattisson if there was anything in his letters requiring attention, who replied that there was one from Lord George Hamilton on a rather difficult question, and suggested deferring it to another day. Smith, however, desired that it should be read to him, and dictated a sentence bearing on the point raised; but, feeling unequal to the exertion, he gave it up, saying, “No: tell George I am not well enough to deal with it.”

He then gave instructions to prepare submissions to the Queen in regard to two vacant Crown livings, and, lastly, to get ready for his signature two cheques on his private account to pay his doctors’ fees. Mr Pattisson, noticing that he was in great pain, suggested that they should be paid out of his (Mr Pattisson's) account, so as to save his chief the exertion of signing them. But he, smiling, said, “No; it is a little compliment to them if I sign my own cheques, and I should like to do so.” The cheques were accordingly drawn on his own account, and thus the last occasion he ever put pen to paper was characteristic of his whole life, for it arose out of a desire to show consideration for others.

On the following morning, Tuesday, October 6, an alarming change took place.