THE WORKS OF CHARLES AND MARY LAMB VI. LETTERS 1821-1842



THE LETTERS

OF

CHARLES AND MARY LAMB

1821-1842

EDITED BY

E.V. LUCAS

WITH A FRONTISPIECE



CONTENTS OF VOLUME VI

LETTER 1821

264 Charles Lamb to Dorothy Wordsworth Jan. 8 From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original.

265 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop No date From Harper's Magazine.

266 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop No date From Harper's Magazine.

267 Charles Lamb to Mrs. William Ayrton Jan. 23 From the original.

268 Charles Lamb to Miss Humphreys Jan. 27 From the original at Rowfant.

269 Charles Lamb to Mrs. William Ayrton. March 15 From the original.

270 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop March 30 From Harper's Magazine.

271 Charles Lamb to Leigh Hunt April 18 From Leigh Hunt's Correspondence.

272 Charles Lamb to S.T. Coleridge May 1 From the Life of Charles Mathews.

273 Charles Lamb to James Gillman May 2 From the Life of Charles Mathews.

274 Charles Lamb to John Payne Collier May 16 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

275 Charles Lamb to B.W. Procter ?Summer From facsimile in Mrs. Field's A Shelf of Old Authors.

276 Charles Lamb to John Taylor June 8 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

277 Charles Lamb to John Taylor July 21 Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

278 Charles Lamb to C.A. Elton Aug. 17 From the original in the possession of Sir Edmund Elton.

279 Charles Lamb to Charles Cowden Clarke Summer From Recollections of Writers.

280 Mary Lamb to Mrs. William Ayrton No date From the original in the possession of Mr. A.M.S. Methuen.

281 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop Oct. 21 From the American owner.

282 Charles Lamb to William Ayrton Oct. 27 From the original.

1822.

283 Charles Lamb to S.T. Coleridge March 9 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

284 Charles Lamb to William Wordsworth March 20 From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original.

285 Charles Lamb to W. Harrison Ainsworth May 7 Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

286 Charles Lamb to William Godwin May 16 Mr. Kegan Paul's text (William Godwin: His Friends, etc.).

287 Charles Lamb to Mrs. John Lamb May 22 From the original in the Bodleian.

288 Charles Lamb to Mary Lamb (fragment) Aug. From Crabb Robinson's Diary.

289 Charles Lamb to John Clare Aug. 31 From the original (British Museum).

290 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Sept. 11 From the original (British Museum).

291 Charles Lamb to Barren Field Sept. 22 From the original in the possession of Mr. B.B. Macgeorge.

292 Charles Lamb to John Howard Payne Autumn From the Century Magazine.

293 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Oct. 9 From the original (British Museum).

294 Charles Lamb to B.R. Haydon Oct. 9 From Haydon's Correspondence and Table Talk.

295 Charles Lamb to John Howard Payne Oct. 22 From the Century Magazine.

296 Charles Lamb to B.R. Haydon Oct. 29 From Haydon's Correspondence and Table Talk.

297 Charles Lamb to Sir Walter Scott Oct. 29 From Scott's Familiar Letters.

298 Charles Lamb to Thomas Robinson Nov. 11 From the original (Dr. Williams' Library).

299 Charles Lamb to John Howard Payne Nov. 13 From the Century Magazine.

300 Mary Lamb to Mrs. James Kenney ?Early Dec. Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

301 Charles Lamb to John Taylor Dec. 7 From Elia (Bell's edition).

302 Charles Lamb to Walter Wilson Dec. 16 From the original (Bodleian).

303 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Dec. 23 From the original (British Museum).

1823.

304 Charles Lamb to John Howard Payne Jan. From the Century Magazine.

305 Charles Lamb to William Wordsworth Jan. From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original.

306 Charles Lamb to Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Collier Jan. 6 From the original in the possession of Mr. R.B. Adam.

307 Charles Lamb to Charles Aders Jan. 8 From the original (Mr. J. Dunlop).

308 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Jan. 9 From the original (British Museum).

309 Charles Lamb to John Howard Payne Jan. 23 From the Century Magazine.

310 Charles Lamb to John Howard Payne Feb. 9 From the Century Magazine.

311 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Feb. 17 From the original (British Museum).

312 Charles Lamb to Walter Wilson Feb. 24 From Mr. Hazlitt's text.

313 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton March 11 From the original (British Museum).

314 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton April 5 From the original (British Museum).

315 Charles Lamb to B.W. Procter April 13 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn) with alterations.

316 Charles Lamb to Sarah Hutchinson April 25 From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original.

317 Charles Lamb to Miss Hutchinson (?) (fragment) No date From Notes and Queries.

318 Charles Lamb to John Bates Dibdin No date From the original in the possession of Mr. R.W. Dibdin.

319 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton May 3 From the original (British Museum).

320 Charles Lamb to John Bates Dibdin May 6 From the original in the possession of Mr. R.W. Dibdin.

321 Mary Lamb to Mrs. Randal Norris June 18 Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

322 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton July 10 From the original (British Museum).

323 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop July From Harper's Magazine.

324 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Sept. 2 From the original (British Museum).

325 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop Sept. 6 From Harper's Magazine.

326 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop Sept. 9 From Harper's Magazine.

327 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop Sept. 10 From Harper's Magazine.

328 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop Sept. From Harper's Magazine.

329 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Sept. 17 From the original (British Museum).

330 Charles Lamb to Charles Lloyd (fragment) Autumn From Letters and Poems of Bernard Barton.

331 Charles Lamb to H.F. Cary Oct. 14 From Memoir of H.F. Cary.

332 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop ?Oct. From Harper's Magazine.

333 Charles Lamb to John Bates Dibdin Oct. 28 From the original in the possession of Mr. R.W. Dibdin.

334 Charles Lamb to Sarah Hazlitt Early Nov. Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

335 Charles Lamb to Robert Southey Nov. 21 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

336 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Nov. 22 From the original (British Museum).

337 Charles Lamb to W. Harrison Ainsworth Dec. 9 From the original.

338 Charles Lamb to W. Harrison Ainsworth Dec. 29 From the original.

1824.

339 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Jan. 9 From the original (British Museum).

340 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Jan. 23 From the original (British Museum).

341 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Feb. 25 From the original (British Museum).

342 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton March 24 From the original (British Museum).

343 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Early Spring From the original (British Museum).

344 Charles Lamb to Mrs. Thomas Allsop April 13 From Harper's Magazine.

345 Charles Lamb to William Hone April From the original in the possession of Mr. R.A. Potts.

346 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton May 15 From the original in the possession of Mr. B.B. Macgeorge.

347 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton July 7 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

348 Charles Lamb to W. Marter. July 19 Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

349 Charles Lamb to John Bates Dibdin July 28 From the original in the possession of Mr. R.W. Dibdin.

350 Charles Lamb to Thomas Hood (?fragment) Aug. 10 From the original.

351 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Aug. 17 From the original (British Museum).

352 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Sept. 30 From the original (British Museum).

353 Charles Lamb to Mrs. John Dyer Collier Nov. 2 From the original (South Kensington Museum).

354 Charles Lamb to B.W. Procter Nov. 11 From Barry Cornwall's Charles Lamb with alterations.

355 Charles Lamb to Crabb Robinson Nov. 20 From the original (Dr. Williams' Library).

356 Charles Lamb to Sarah Hutchinson Nov. 25 From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original.

357 Charles Lamb to Leigh Hunt ?Nov. From Leigh Hunt's Correspondence with alterations.

358 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Dec. 1 Charles Lamb to Lucy Barton From the original (British Museum).

1825.

359 Charles Lamb to John Bates Dibdin Jan. 11 From the original in the possession of Mr. R.W. Dibdin.

360 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop Jan. 17 From Harper's Magazine.

361 Charles Lamb to Sarah Hutchinson Jan. 20 From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original.

362 Charles Lamb to Vincent Novello Jan. 25 From the original (British Museum).

363 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Feb. 10 From the original (British Museum).

364 Charles Lamb to Thomas Manning ?Feb. Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

365 Charles Lamb to Sarah Hutchinson. March 1 From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original.

366 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton March 23 From the original (British Museum).

367 Charles Lamb to Crabb Robinson March 29 From the original (Dr. Williams' Library).

368 Charles Lamb to William Wordsworth April 6 From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original.

369 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton April 6 From the original (British Museum).

370 Charles Lamb to Sarah Hutchinson April 18 From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original. (Last paragraph from original scrap at Welbeck Abbey.)

371 Charles Lamb to William Hone May 2 From the original at Rowfant.

372 Charles Lamb to William Wordsworth May From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original.

373 Charles Lamb to Charles Chambers ?May Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

374 Charles Lamb to S.T. Coleridge ?June Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

375 Charles Lamb to Henry Colburn (?) June 14 From the original (South Kensington).

376 Charles Lamb to S.T. Coleridge July 2 From the original (Morrison Collection).

377 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton July 2 From the original (British Museum).

378 Charles Lamb to John Aitken July 5

379 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Aug. 10 From the original (British Museum).

380 Charles Lamb to Robert Southey Aug. 10 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

381 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop Sept. 9 From Harper's Magazine.

382 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop Sept. 24 From Harper's Magazine.

383 Charles Lamb to William Hone Oct. 24 From the original at Rowfant.

384 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop Dec. 5 From Harper's Magazine.

385 Charles Lamb to Charles Oilier ?Dec. From the original (South Kensington).

1826.

386 Charles Lamb to Charles Oilier Early in year Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

387 Charles Lamb to Charles Oilier Jan. Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

388 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Feb. 7 From the original (British Museum).

389 Charles Lamb to Charles Oilier March 16 From the original in the possession of Mr. R.A. Potts.

390 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton March 20 From the original (British Museum).

391 Charles Lamb to S.T. Coleridge March 22 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

392 Charles Lamb to H.F. Gary April 3 Mr. Hazlitt's text.

393 Charles Lamb to Vincent Novello May 9 From the original (British Museum).

394 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton May 16 From the original (British Museum).

395 Charles Lamb to S.T. Coleridge June 1 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

396 Charles Lamb to John Bates Dibdin June 30 From the original in the possession of Mr. R.W. Dibdin.

397 Charles Lamb to Thomas Hill No year From the original (British Museum).

398 Charles Lamb to John Bates Dibdin July 14 From the original in the possession of Mr. R.W. Dibdin.

399 Charles Lamb to William Wordsworth Sept. 6 From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original.

400 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon (fragment). No date

401 Charles Lamb to John Bates Dibdin Sept. 9 From the original in the possession of Mr. R.W. Dibdin.

402 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Sept. 26 From the original (British Museum).

403 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon ?Sept. From the original in the possession of Mr. Henry Poulton.

404 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton No date From the original (British Museum).

1827.

405 Charles Lamb to Crabb Robinson Jan. 20 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

406 Charles Lamb to Crabb Robinson Jan. 20 From the original (Dr. Williams' Library).

407 Charles Lamb to Crabb Robinson Jan. 29 From the original (Dr. Williams' Library).

408 Charles Lamb to Crabb Robinson Jan. From the original (Dr. Williams' Library).

409 Charles Lamb to B.R. Haydon March From Taylor's Life of Haydon.

410 Charles Lamb to William Hone April From the original at Rowfant.

411 Charles Lamb to Thomas Hood May Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

412 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton No date From the original (British Museum).

413 Charles Lamb to William Hone May From the original at Rowfant.

414 Charles Lamb to William Hone June From the original at Rowfant.

415 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton June 11 From the original (British Museum).

416 Charles Lamb to Crabb Robinson June 26 From the original (British Museum).

417 Charles Lamb to William Hone July From the original at Rowfant.

418 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon July 17 From the original at Rowfant.

419 Charles Lamb to P.G. Patmore July 19 From Patmore's My Friends and Acquaintances.

420 Charles Lamb to Mrs. Shelley July 26 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

421 Charles Lamb to Mrs. Basil Montagu Summer Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

422 Mary Lamb to Lady Stoddart Aug. 9

423 Charles Lamb to Sir John Stoddart From the original (Messrs. Maggs).

424 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Aug. 10 From the original (British Museum).

425 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Aug. 28 From the original (British Museum).

426 Charles Lamb to P.G. Patmore Sept. From My Friends and Acquaintances.

427 Charles Lamb to John Bates Dibdin Sept. 5 From the original in the possession of Mr. R.W. Dibdin.

428 Charles Lamb to John Bates Dibdin Sept. 13 From the original in the possession of Mr. R.W. Dibdin.

429 Charles Lamb to John Bates Dibdin Sept. 18 From the original in the possession of Mr. R.W. Dibdin.

430 Charles Lamb to Thomas Hood Sept. 18 From the facsimile in Mrs. Balmanno's Pen and Pencil.

431 Charles Lamb to Henry Colburn Sept. 25 From the original (South Kensington).

432 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon ?Sept. 26 From the original in the possession of Mr. Henry Poulton.

433 Charles Lamb to Crabb Robinson Oct. 1 From the original (Dr. Williams' Library).

434 Charles Lamb to John Bates Dibdin Oct. 2 From the original in the possession of Mr. R.W. Dibdin.

435 Charles Lamb to Barron Field Oct. 4 From the Memoirs of Charles Matthews.

436 Charles Lamb to William Hone ?Oct. Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

437 Charles Lamb to Thomas Hood No date From the National Review.

438 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton No date From the original (British Museum).

439 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Dec. 4 From the original (British Museum).

440 Charles Lamb to Leigh Hunt Dec. Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

441 Charles Lamb to William Hone Dec. 15

442 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop ?Dec. From Harper's Magazine.

443 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop Dec. 20 From Harper's Magazine.

444 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Dec. 22 From the original at Rowfant.

445 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton End of year From the original (British Museum).

1828.

446 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop Jan. 9 From Harper's Magazine with alterations.

447 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon ?Jan. From the original at Rowfant.

448 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Feb. 18 From the original at Rowfant.

449 Charles Lamb to Charles Cowden Clarke Feb. 25 From Reminiscences of Writers.

450 Charles Lamb to Crabb Robinson Feb. 26 From the original (Dr. Williams' Library).

451 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon March 19 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

452 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton April 21 From the original (British Museum).

453 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop May 1 From Harper's Magazine.

454 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon May 3 From the original.

455 Charles Lamb to Walter Wilson May 17 From the original (British Museum).

456 Charles Lamb to T.N. Talfourd May 20 From the original (Dr. Williams' Library).

457 Charles Lamb to William Wordsworth May From the original (Dr. Williams' Library).

458 Charles Lamb to Mrs. Morgan June 17

459 Mary Lamb to the Thomas Hoods ?Summer Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

460 Charles Lamb to B.R. Haydon Aug. From Taylor's Life of Haydon.

461 Charles Lamb to John Rickman (translation) Oct. 3

462 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Oct. 11 From the original (British Museum).

463 Charles Lamb to Charles Cowden Clarke Oct. From Recollections of Writers.

464 Charles Lamb to Vincent Novello Nov. 6 From Recollections of Writers.

465 Charles Lamb to Thomas Hood Late autumn From Hood's Own.

466 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Dec. Text from Mr. Samuel Davey.

467 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Dec. 5 From the original (British Museum).

468 Charles Lamb to Charles Cowden Clarke Dec. From Recollections of Writers.

469 Charles Lamb to T.N. Talfourd End of year Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

1829.

470 Charles Lamb to George Dyer ?Jan. From the original (British Museum).

471 Charles Lamb to B.W. Procter Jan.19 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

472 Charles Lamb to B.W. Procter Jan. 22 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn) with alterations.

473 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop Jan. 28 From Harper's Magazine.

474 Charles Lamb to B.W. Procter Jan. 29 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn) with alterations.

475 Charles Lamb to B.W. Procter Early in year Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn) with alterations.

476 Charles Lamb to B.W. Procter Feb. 2 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

477 Charles Lamb to Charles Cowden Clarke Feb. 2 From Recollections of Writers.

478 Charles Lamb to Crabb Robinson Feb. 27 From the original (Dr. Williams' Library).

479 Charles Lamb to Samuel Rogers March 22 From Rogers and His Contemporaries.

480 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton March 25 From the original (British Museum).

481 Charles Lamb to Miss Sarah James ?April Text from Mr. Samuel Davey.

482 Charles Lamb to Crabb Robinson ?April From the original (Dr. Williams' Library).

483 Charles Lamb to Crabb Robinson April 17 From the original (Dr. Williams' Library).

484 Charles Lamb to George Dyer April 29 From The Mirror, 1841.

485 Charles Lamb to Thomas Hood ?May Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

486 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon No date From The Autographic Mirror.

487 Charles Lamb to Walter Wilson May 28 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

488 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton June 3 From the original (British Museum).

489 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton July 25 From the original (British Museum).

490 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop Late July From Harper's Magazine.

491 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Sept. 22 From the original at Rowfant.

492 Charles Lamb to James Gillman Oct. 26 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

493 Charles Lamb to Vincent Novello Nov. 10 From the original (British Museum).

494 Charles Lamb to Walter Wilson Nov. 15 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

495 Charles Lamb to James Gillman ?Nov. 29 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

496 Charles Lamb to James Gillman Nov. 30 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

497 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Dec. 8 From the original (British Museum).

498 Charles Lamb to William Wordsworth 499 Mary Lamb to Dorothy Wordsworth Jan. 22 From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original.

500 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Feb. 25 From the original (British Museum).

501 Charles Lamb to Mrs. Williams Feb. 26 Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

502 Charles Lamb to Mrs. Williams March 1 Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

503 Charles Lamb to Sarah Hazlitt March 4 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

504 Charles Lamb to Mrs. Williams March 5 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

505 Charles Lamb to James Gillman March 8 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

506 Charles Lamb to William Ayrton March 14 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

507 Charles Lamb to Mrs. Williams March 22 Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

508 Charles Lamb to Mrs. Williams April 2 From the original in the possession of Mr. Yates Thompson.

509 Charles Lamb to Mrs. Williams April 9 From the original.

510 Charles Lamb to James Gillman ?Spring Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

511 Charles Lamb to Jacob Vale Asbury ?April From The Athenaewn.

512 Charles Lamb to Jacob Vale Asbury No date By permission of Mr. Edward Hartley.

513 Charles Lamb to Mrs. Williams April 21 Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

514 Charles Lamb to Robert Southey May 10 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

515 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon May 12 From the original at Rowfant.

516 Charles Lamb to Vincent Novello May 14 From the original (British Museum).

517 Charles Lamb to Vincent Novello May 20 From the original (British Museum).

518 Charles Lamb to William Hone May 21 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

519 Charles Lamb to Sarah Hazlitt May 24 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

520 Charles Lamb to Sarah Hazlitt June 3 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

521 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton June 28 From the original (British Museum).

522 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton Aug. 30 From the original (British Museum).

523 Charles Lamb to Samuel Rogers Oct. 5 From Rogers and His Contemporaries.

524 Charles Lamb to Vincent Novello Nov. 8 From Recollections of Writers.

525 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Nov. 12 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

9526 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon ?Dec. From the original at Rowfant.

527 Charles Lamb to George Dyer Dec. 20 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn) with alterations.

528 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon ?Christmas From the original (South Kensington).

1831.

529 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Feb. 3 From the original at Rowfant.

530 Charles Lamb to George Dyer Feb. 22 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

531 Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton April 30 From the original (British Museum).

532 Charles Lamb to H.F. Cary May 6 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

533 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon July 14 From the original at Rowfant.

534 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Early Aug. From the original at Rowfant.

535 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Aug. 5 From the original at Rowfant.

536 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Sept. 5 From the original at Rowfant.

537 Charles Lamb to William Hazlitt, junior Sept. 13 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Lamb and Hazlitt).

538 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Oct. 24 From the original at Rowfant.

539 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Dec. 15 From the original at Rowfant.

1832.

540 Charles Lamb to Joseph Hume's daughters No date Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

541 Charles Lamb to C.W. Dilke March 5 From Sir Charles Dilke's original.

542 Charles Lamb to S.T. Coleridge April 14 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

543 Charles Lamb to James Sheridan Knowles ?April From the original (South Kensington).

544 Charles Lamb to John Forster ?Late April From the original (South Kensington).

545 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon? June 1 From the original (South Kensington).

546 Charles Lamb to Thomas Allsop July 2 From Harper's Magazine.

547 Charles Lamb to Walter Wilson Aug. From the original in the Bodleian.

548 Charles Lamb to Crabb Robinson ?Early Oct. From the original (South Kensington).

549 Charles Lamb to Walter Savage Landor Oct. From the original (South Kensington).

550 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Late in year From the original at Rowfant.

551 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Winter Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bonn).

552 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Dec. From the original (South Kensington).

553 Charles Lamb to John Forster. Dec. 23 From the original (South Kensington).

1833.

554 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Jan. From Sir Charles Dilke's original.

555 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Jan. 3 From the original at Rowfant.

556 Charles Lamb to John Forster No date From the original (South Kensington).

557 Charles Lamb to John Forster No date From the original (South Kensington).

558 Charles Lamb to John Forster No date From the original (South Kensington).

559 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Jan. 24 From the original at Rowfant.

560 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Feb. 11 From the original (South Kensington).

561 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Feb. From the original (South Kensington).

562 Charles Lamb to T.N. Talfourd Feb. Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

563 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon No date From the original in the possession of Mr. Henry Poulton.

564 Charles Lamb to C.W. Dilke Feb. From Sir Charles Dilke's original.

565 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Early in year From the original at Rowfant.

566 Charles Lamb to B.W. Procter. No date From Procter's Autobiographical Fragment.

567 Charles Lamb to William Hone March 6 From the original (National Portrait Gallery).

568 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon March 19 From the original (South Kensington).

569 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon ?Spring From the original (South Kensington).

570 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon March 30 From the original at Rowfant.

571 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Spring From the original at Rowfant.

572 Charles Lamb to John Forster ?March From the original (South Kensington).

573 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon ?April 10 From the original at Rowfant.

574 Charles Lamb to C.W. Dilke April From Sir Charles Dilke's original.

575 Charles Lamb to Mrs. William Ayrton April 16 From the original, lately in the possession of Mr. Edward Ayrton.

576 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon April 25 From the original at Rowfant.

577 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon April 27 From the original at Rowfant.

578 Charles Lamb to the Rev. James Gillman May 7

579 Charles Lamb to John Forster May From the original (South Kensington).

580 Charles Lamb to John Forster May 12 From the original (South Kensington).

581 Charles Lamb to William Wordsworth End of May From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original.

582 Charles Lamb to Sarah Hazlitt May 31 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn) with alterations.

583 Charles Lamb to Mary Betham June 5 From A House of Letters.

584 Charles Lamb to Matilda Betham June 5 From Fraser's Magazine.

585 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon July 14 From the original at Rowfant.

586 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon July 24 From the original at Rowfant.

587 Charles and Mary Lamb to Edward and Emma Moxon ?July 31 From the original at Rowfant.

588 Charles Lamb to H.F. Cary Sept. 9 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

589 Charles and Mary Lamb to Edward Moxon Sept. 26 From the original at Rowfant.

590 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Oct. 17 From the original at Rowfant.

591 Charles Lamb to Edward and Emma Moxon Nov. 29 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

592 Charles Lamb to C.W. Dilke Mid. Dec. From Sir Charles Dilke's original.

593 Charles Lamb to Samuel Rogers Dec. 21 From Rogers and His Contemporaries.

594 Charles Lamb to C.W. Dilke No date From Sir Charles Dilke's original.

595 Charles Lamb to C.W. Dilke No date From Sir Charles Dilke's original.

1834.

596 Charles Lamb to the printer of The Athenaeum No date From Sir Charles Dilke's original.

597 Charles Lamb to Mary Betham Jan. 24 From the original in the possession of Mr. B.B. Macgeorge.

598 Charles Lamb to Edward Moxon Jan. 28 From the original (South Kensington).

599 Charles Lamb to Miss Fryer Feb. 14 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

600 Charles Lamb to Miss Fryer No date From the original in the possession of Mr. A.M.S. Methuen.

601 Charles Lamb to William Wordsworth Feb. 22 From Mr. Gordon Wordsworth's original.

602 Charles Lamb to T.N. Talfourd No date

603 Charles Lamb to Charles Cowden Clarke (fragment) End of June From the Life and Labours of Vincent Novello.

604 Charles Lamb to John Forster June 25 From the original (South Kensington).

605 Charles Lamb to J. Fuller Russell Summer From Notes and Queries.

606 Charles Lamb to J. Fuller Russell Summer From Notes and Queries.

607 Charles Lamb to C.W. Dilke End of July From Sir Charles Dilke's original.

608 Charles Lamb to the Rev. James Gillman Aug. 5 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

609 Charles and Mary Lamb to H.F. Cary Sept. 12 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

610 Charles Lamb to H.F. Cary Oct. Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

611 Charles Lamb to H.F. Cary Oct. 18 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

612 Charles Lamb to Mr. Childs ?Dec. Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

613 Charles Lamb to Mr. Childs No date

614 Charles Lamb to Mrs. George Dyer Dec. 22 Mr. Hazlitt's text (Bohn).

615 Mary Lamb to Jane Norris Dec. 25 Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

616 Mary Lamb to Jane Norris Oct. 3 1842. Mr. Hazlitt's text (The Lambs).

Last letter. Miss James to Jane Norris July 25 1843.



APPENDIX

Barton's "Spiritual Law" Barton's "Translation of Enoch" Talfourd's "Verses in Memory of a Child named after Charles Lamb" FitzGerald's "Meadows in Spring" Montgomery's "The Common Lot" Barry Cornwall's "Epistle to Charles Lamb"

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF LETTERS

INDEX



FRONTISPIECE

CHARLES LAMB (aged 51). From the painting by Henry Meyer at the India Office.



THE LETTERS OF CHARLES AND MARY LAMB

1821-1834



LETTER 264

CHARLES LAMB TO DOROTHY WORDSWORTH

[P.M. January 8, 1821.]

Mary perfectly approves of the appropriat'n of the feathers, and wishes them Peacocks for your fair niece's sake!

Dear Miss Wordsworth, I had just written the above endearing words when Monkhouse tapped me on the shoulder with an invitation to cold goose pye, which I was not Bird of that sort enough to decline. Mrs. M. I am most happy to say is better. Mary has been tormented with a Rheumatism, which is leaving her. I am suffering from the festivities of the season. I wonder how my misused carcase holds it out. I have play'd the experimental philosopher on it, that's certain. Willy shall be welcome to a mince pye, and a bout at Commerce, whenever he comes. He was in our eye. I am glad you liked my new year's speculations. Everybody likes them, except the Author of the Pleasures of Hope. Disappointment attend him! How I like to be liked, and what I do to be liked! They flatter me in magazines, newspapers, and all the minor reviews. The Quarterlies hold aloof. But they must come into it in time, or their leaves be waste paper. Salute Trinity Library in my name. Two special things are worth seeing at Cambridge, a portrait of Cromwell at Sidney, and a better of Dr. Harvey (who found out that blood was red) at Dr. Davy's. You should see them.

Coleridge is pretty well, I have not seen him, but hear often of him from Alsop, who sends me hares and pheasants twice a week. I can hardly take so fast as he gives. I have almost forgotten Butcher's meat, as Plebeian. Are you not glad the Cold is gone? I find winters not so agreeable as they used to be, when "winter bleak had charms for me." I cannot conjure up a kind similitude for those snowy flakes—Let them keep to Twelfth Cakes.

Mrs. Paris, our Cambridge friend, has been in Town. You do not know the Watfords? in Trumpington Street—they are capital people.

Ask any body you meet, who is the biggest woman in Cambridge—and I'll hold you a wager they'll say Mrs. Smith.

She broke down two benches in Trinity Gardens, one on the confines of St. John's, which occasioned a litigation between the societies as to repairing it. In warm weather she retires into an ice-cellar (literally!) and dates the returns of the years from a hot Thursday some 20 years back. She sits in a room with opposite doors and windows, to let in a thorough draught, which gives her slenderer friends tooth-aches. She is to be seen in the market every morning at 10, cheapening fowls, which I observe the Cambridge Poulterers are not sufficiently careful to stump.

Having now answered most of the points containd in your Letter, let me end with assuring you of our very best kindness, and excuse Mary from not handling the Pen on this occasion, especially as it has fallen into so much better hands! Will Dr. W. accept of my respects at the end of a foolish Letter.

C.L.

[Miss Wordsworth was visiting her brother, Christopher Wordsworth, the Master of Trinity.

Willy was William Wordsworth, junr.

Lamb's New Year speculations were contained in his Elia essay "New Year's Eve," in the London Magazine for January, 1821. There is no evidence that Campbell disapproved of the essay. Canon Ainger suggests that Lamb may have thus alluded playfully to the pessimism of his remarks, so opposed to the pleasures of hope. When the Quarterly did "come in," in 1823, it was with cold words, as we shall see.

"Trinity Library." It is here that are preserved those MSS. of Milton, which Lamb in his essay "Oxford in the Vacation," in the London Magazine for October, 1820, says he regrets to have seen.

"Cromwell at Sidney." See Mary Lamb's letter to Miss Hutchinson, August 20, 1815.

"Harvey ... at Dr. Davy's"—Dr. Martin Davy, Master of Caius.

"Alsop." This is the first mention of Thomas Allsop (1795-1880), Coleridge's friend and disciple, who, meeting Coleridge in 1818, had just come into Lamb's circle. We shall meet him frequently. Allsop's Letters, Conversations and Recollections of Samuel Taylor Coleridge contain much matter concerning Lamb.

"Winter bleak had charms for me." I could not find this for the large edition. It is from Burns' "Epistle to William Simpson," stanza 13.

Mrs. Paris was a sister of William Ayrton and the mother of John Ayrton Paris, the physician. It was at her house at Cambridge that the Lambs met Emma Isola, whom we are soon to meet.

"Mrs. Smith." Lamb worked up this portion of his letter into the little humorous sketch "The Gentle Giantess," printed in the London Magazine for December, 1822 (see Vol. I. of the present edition), wherein Mrs. Smith of Cambridge becomes the Widow Blacket of Oxford.

"Dr. W."—Dr. Christopher Wordsworth.]



LETTER 265

CHARLES LAMB TO THOMAS ALLSOP

[No date. 1821.]

Dear Sir—The hairs of our head are numbered, but those which emanate from your heart defy arithmetic. I would send longer thanks but your young man is blowing his fingers in the Passage.

Yours gratefully C.L.

[The date of this scrap is unimportant; but it comes well here in connection with the reference in the preceding letter.

In Harper's Magazine for December, 1859, were printed fifty of Lamb's notes to Allsop, all of which are reproduced in at least two editions of Lamb's letters. I have selected only those which say anything, as for the most part Lamb was content with the merest message; moreover, the date is often so uncertain as to be only misleading.

Crabb Robinson says of Allsop, "I believe his acquaintance with Lamb originated in his sending Coleridge a present of L100 in admiration of his genius."]



LETTER 266

CHARLES LAMB TO THOMAS ALLSOP

[No date. 1821.]

D'r Sir—Thanks for the Birds and your kindness. It was but yesterd'y. I was contriving with Talf'd to meet you 1/2 way at his chamber. But night don't do so well at present. I shall want to be home at Dalston by Eight.

I will pay an afternoon visit to you when you please. I dine at a chop-house at ONE always, but I can spend an hour with you after that.

Yours truly

C.L.

Would Saturdy serve?



LETTER 267

CHARLES LAMB TO MRS. WILLIAM AYRTON

[Dated at end: Jan. 23, 1821.]

Dear Mrs. Ayrton, my sister desires me, as being a more expert penman than herself, to say that she saw Mrs. Paris yesterday, and that she is very much out of spirits, and has expressed a great wish to see your son William, and Fanny—

I like to write that word Fanny. I do not know but it was one reason of taking upon me this pleasing task—

Moreover that if the said William and Frances will go and sit an hour with her at any time, she will engage that no one else shall see them but herself, and the servant who opens the door, she being confined to her private room. I trust you and the Juveniles will comply with this reasonable request.

& am Dear Mrs. Ayrton your's and yours' Truly C. LAMB. Cov. Gar. 23 Jan. 1821.

[Mrs. Ayrton (nee Arnold) was the wife of William Ayrton, the musical critic.]



LETTER 268

CHARLES LAMB TO MISS HUMPHREYS

London 27 Jan'y. 1821.

Dear Madam, Carriages to Cambridge are in such request, owing to the Installation, that we have found it impossible to procure a conveyance for Emma before Wednesday, on which day between the hours of 3 and 4 in the afternoon you will see your little friend, with her bloom somewhat impaired by late hours and dissipation, but her gait, gesture, and general manners (I flatter myself) considerably improved by—somebody that shall be nameless. My sister joins me in love to all true Trumpingtonians, not specifying any, to avoid envy; and begs me to assure you that Emma has been a very good girl, which, with certain limitations, I must myself subscribe to. I wish I could cure her of making dog's ears in books, and pinching them on poor Pompey, who, for one, I dare say, will heartily rejoyce at her departure.

Dear Madam,

Yours truly

foolish C.L.

[Addressed to "Miss Humphreys, with Mrs. Paris, Trumpington Street, Cambridge." Franked by J. Rickman.

This letter contains the first reference in the correspondence to Emma Isola, daughter of Charles Isola, Esquire Bedell of Cambridge University, and granddaughter of Agostino Isola, the Italian critic and teacher, of Cambridge, among whose pupils had been Wordsworth. Miss Humphreys was Emma Isola's aunt. Emma seems to have been brought to London by Mrs. Paris and left with the Lambs.

Pompey seems to have been the Lamb's first dog. Later, as we shall see, they adopted Dash.]



LETTER 269

CHARLES LAMB TO MRS. WILLIAM AYRTON

[Dated at end: March 15, 1821.]

Dear Madam, We are out of town of necessity till Wednesday next, when we hope to see one of you at least to a rubber. On some future Saturday we shall most gladly accept your kind offer. When I read your delicate little note, I am ashamed of my great staring letters.

Yours most truly

CHARLES LAMB.

Dalston near Hackney

15 Mar. 1821.

[In my large edition I give a facsimile of this letter.]



LETTER 270

CHARLES LAMB TO THOMAS ALLSOP

30 March, 1821.

My dear Sir—If you can come next Sunday we shall be equally glad to see you, but do not trust to any of Martin's appointments, except on business, in future. He is notoriously faithless in that point, and we did wrong not to have warned you. Leg of Lamb, as before; hot at 4. And the heart of Lamb ever.

Yours truly, C.L.



LETTER 271

CHARLES LAMB TO LEIGH HUNT

Indifferent Wednesday [April 18], 1821.

Dear Hunt,—There was a sort of side talk at Mr. Novello's about our spending Good Friday at Hampstead, but my sister has got so bad a cold, and we both want rest so much, that you shall excuse our putting off the visit some little time longer. Perhaps, after all, you know nothing of it.—

Believe me, yours truly, C. LAMB.



LETTER 272

CHARLES LAMB TO S.T. COLERIDGE

May 1st [1821],

Mr. Gilman's, Highgate.

Mr. C.—I will not fail you on Friday by six, and Mary, perhaps, earlier. I very much wish to meet "Master Mathew," and am much obliged to the G——s for the opportunity. Our kind respects to them always.—ELIA.

Extract from a MS. note of S.T.C. in my Beaumont and Fletcher, dated April 17th 1807.

Midnight.

"God bless you, dear Charles Lamb, I am dying; I feel I have not many weeks left."

[Master Mathew is in Ben Jonson's "Every Man in His Humour."

Lamb's "Beaumont and Fletcher" is in the British Museum. The note quoted by Lamb is not there, or perhaps it is one that has been crossed out. This still remains: "N.B. I shall not be long here, Charles! I gone, you will not mind my having spoiled a book in order to leave a Relic. S.T.C., Oct. 1811."]



LETTER 273

CHARLES LAMB TO JAMES GILLMAN

[Dated at end: 2 May, 1821.]

Dear Sir—You dine so late on Friday, it will be impossible for us to go home by the eight o'clock stage. Will you oblige us by securing us beds at some house from which a stage goes to the Bank in the morning? I would write to Coleridge, but cannot think of troubling a dying man with such a request.

Yours truly, C. LAMB.

If the beds in the town are all engaged, in consequence of Mr. Mathews's appearance, a hackney-coach will serve. Wednes'y. 2 May '21.

We shall neither of us come much before the time.

[Mrs. Mathews (who was half-sister of Fanny Kelly) described this evening in her Memoirs of her husband, 1839. Her account of Lamb is interesting:—

Mr. Lamb's first approach was not prepossessing. His figure was small and mean; and no man certainly was ever less beholden to his tailor. His "bran" new suit of black cloth (in which he affected several times during the day to take great pride, and to cherish as a novelty that he had long looked for and wanted) was drolly contrasted with his very rusty silk stockings, shown from his knees, and his much too large thick shoes, without polish. His shirt rejoiced in a wide ill-plaited frill, and his very small, tight, white neckcloth was hemmed to a fine point at the ends that formed part of the little bow. His hair was black and sleek, but not formal, and his face the gravest I ever saw, but indicating great intellect, and resembling very much the portraits of King Charles I. Mr. Coleridge was very anxious about his pet Lamb's first impression upon my husband, which I believe his friend saw; and guessing that he had been extolled, he mischievously resolved to thwart his panegyrist, disappoint the strangers, and altogether to upset the suspected plan of showing him off.

The Mathews' were then living at Ivy Cottage, only a short distance from the Grove, Highgate, where the famous Mathews collection of pictures was to be seen of which Lamb subsequently wrote in the London Magazine.

Here should come a note to Ayrton saying that Madame Noblet is the least graceful dancer that Lamb ever "did not see."]



LETTER 274

CHARLES LAMB TO JOHN PAYNE COLLIER

May 16, 1821.

Dear J.P.C.,—Many thanks for the "Decameron:" I have not such a gentleman's book in my collection: it was a great treat to me, and I got it just as I was wanting something of the sort. I take less pleasure in books than heretofore, but I like books about books. In the second volume, in particular, are treasures—your discoveries about "Twelfth Night," etc. What a Shakespearian essence that speech of Osrades for food!—Shakespeare is coarse to it—beginning "Forbear and eat no more." Osrades warms up to that, but does not set out ruffian-swaggerer. The character of the Ass with those three lines, worthy to be set in gilt vellum, and worn in frontlets by the noble beasts for ever—

"Thou would, perhaps, he should become thy foe, And to that end dost beat him many times: He cares not for himself, much less thy blow."

Cervantes, Sterne, and Coleridge, have said positively nothing for asses compared with this.

I write in haste; but p. 24, vol. i., the line you cannot appropriate is Gray's sonnet, specimenifyed by Wordsworth in first preface to L.B., as mixed of bad and good style: p. 143, 2nd vol., you will find last poem but one of the collection on Sidney's death in Spenser, the line,

"Scipio, Caesar, Petrarch of our time."

This fixes it to be Raleigh's: I had guess'd it to be Daniel's. The last after it, "Silence augmenteth rage," I will be crucified if it be not Lord Brooke's. Hang you, and all meddling researchers, hereafter, that by raking into learned dust may find me out wrong in my conjecture!

Dear J.P.C., I shall take the first opportunity of personally thanking you for my entertainment. We are at Dalston for the most part, but I fully hope for an evening soon with you in Russell or Bouverie Street, to talk over old times and books. Remember us kindly to Mrs. J.P.C. Yours very kindly, CHARLES LAMB. I write in misery.

N.B.—The best pen I could borrow at our butcher's: the ink, I verily believe, came out of the kennel.

[Collier's Poetical Decameron, in two volumes, was published in 1820: a series of imaginary conversations on curious and little-known books. His "Twelfth Night" discoveries will be found in the Eighth Conversation; Collier deduces the play from Barnaby Rich's Farewell to Military Profession, 1606. He also describes Thomas Lodge's "Rosalynde," the forerunner of "As You Like It," in which is the character Rosader, whom Lamb calls Osrades. His speech for food runs thus:—

It hapned that day that Gerismond, the lawfull king of France banished by Torismond, who with a lustie crew of outlawes liued in that Forrest, that day in honour of his birth, made a feast to all his bolde yeomen, and frolickt it with store of wine and venison, sitting all at a long table vnder the shadow of Limon trees: to that place by chance fortune conducted Rosader, who seeing such a crew of braue men, hauing store of that for want of which hee and Adam perished, hee slept boldly to the boords end, and saluted the Company thus.—Whatsoeuer thou be that art maister of these lustie squires, I salute thee as graciously as a man in extreame distresse may: knowe that I and a fellow friend of mine, are here famished in the forrest for want of foode: perish we must, vnlesse relieued by thy fauours. Therefore if thou be a Gentleman, giue meate to men, and such as are euery way worthie of life: let the proudest Squire that sits at thy table rise and encounter with me in any honourable point of activitie whatsoeuer, and if he and thou proue me not a man, send mee away comfortlesse: if thou refuse this, as a niggard of thy cates, I will haue amongst you with my sword, for rather wil I die valiantly, then perish with so cowardly an extreame (Collier's Poetical Decameron, 174, Eighth Conversation).

Lamb compares with that the passage in "As You Like It," II., 7, 88, beginning with Orlando's "Forbear, and eat no more." The character of the ass is quoted by Collier from an old book, The Noblenesse of the Asse, 1595, in the Third Conversation:—

Thou wouldst (perhaps) he should become thy foe, And to that end doost beat him many times; He cares not for himselfe, much lesse thy blowe.

Lamb wrote more fully of this passage in an article on the ass contributed to Hone's Every-Day Book in 1825 (see Vol. I. of the present edition).

The line from Gray's sonnet on the death of Mr. Richard West was this:—

And weep the more because I weep in vain.

"Scipio, Caesar," etc. This line runs, in the epitaph on Sidney, beginning "To praise thy life"—

Scipio, Cicero, and Petrarch of our time!

It is generally supposed to be by Raleigh. The next poem, "Silence Augmenteth Grief," is attributed by Malone to Sir Edward Dyer, and by Hannah to Raleigh.]



LETTER 275

CHARLES LAMB TO B.W. PROCTER

[No date. ?Summer, 1821.]

Dear Sir, The Wits (as Clare calls us) assemble at my Cell (20 Russell St. Cov.-Gar.) this evening at 1/4 before 7. Cold meat at 9. Puns at—a little after. Mr. Cary wants to see you, to scold you. I hope you will not fail. Yours &c. &c. &c.

C. LAMB.

Thursday.

I am sorry the London Magazine is going to be given up.

[I assume the date of this note to be summer, 1821, because it was then that Baldwin, Cradock & Joy, the London Magazine's first publishers, gave it up. The reason was the death of John Scott, the editor, and probably to a large extent the originator, of the magazine. It was sold to Taylor & Hessey, their first number being dated July, 1821.

Scott had become involved in a quarrel with Blackwood, which reached such a pitch that a duel was fought, between Scott and Christie, a friend of Lockhart's. The whole story, which is involved, and indeed not wholly clear, need not be told here: it will be found in Mr. Lang's memoir of Lockhart. The meeting was held at Chalk Farm on February 16, 1821. Peter George Patmore, sub-editor of the London, was Scott's second. Scott fell, wounded by a shot which Christie fired purely in self-defence. He died on February 27.

Mr. Cary. Henry Francis Cary the translator of Dante and a contributor to the London Magazine.

The London Magazine had four periods. From 1820 to the middle of 1821, when it was Baldwin, Cradock & Joy's. From 1821 to the end of 1824, when it was Taylor & Hessey's at a shilling. From January, 1825, to August of that year, when it was Taylor & Hessey's at half-a-crown; and from September, l825, to the end, when it was Henry Southern's, and was published by Hunt & Clarke.]



LETTER 276

CHARLES LAMB TO JOHN TAYLOR

Margate, June 8, 1821.

Dear Sir,—I am extremely sorry to be obliged to decline the article proposed, as I should have been flattered with a Plate accompanying it. In the first place, Midsummer day is not a topic I could make anything of—I am so pure a Cockney, and little read, besides, in May games and antiquities; and, in the second, I am here at Margate, spoiling my holydays with a Review I have undertaken for a friend, which I shall barely get through before my return; for that sort of work is a hard task to me. If you will excuse the shortness of my first contribution-and I know I can promise nothing more for July—I will endeavour a longer article for our next. Will you permit me to say that I think Leigh Hunt would do the article you propose in a masterly manner, if he has not outwrit himself already upon the subject. I do not return the proof—to save postage—because it is correct, with ONE EXCEPTION. In the stanza from Wordsworth, you have changed DAY into AIR for rhyme-sake: DAY is the right reading, and I IMPLORE you to restore it.

The other passage, which you have queried, is to my ear correct. Pray let it stand.

D'r S'r, yours truly, C. LAMB.

On second consideration, I do enclose the proof.

[John Taylor (1781-1864), the publisher, with Hessey, of the London Magazine was, in 1813, the first publicly to identify Sir Philip Francis with Junius. Taylor acted as editor of the London Magazine from 1821 to 1824, assisted by Thomas Hood. Later his interests were centred in currency questions.

"I am here at Margate." I do not know what review Lamb was writing. If written and published it has not been reprinted. It was on this visit to Margate that Lamb met Charles Cowden Clarke.

"My first contribution." The first number to bear Taylor & Hessey's name was dated July, but they had presumably acquired the rights in the magazine before then. Lamb's first contribution to the London Magazine had been in August, 1820, "The South-Sea House."

The proof which Lamb returned was that of the Elia, essay on "Mackery End in Hertfordshire," printed in the July number of the London Magazine, in which he quoted a stanza from Wordsworth's "Yarrow Visited":—

But thou, that didst appear so fair To fond imagination, Dost rival in the light of day Her delicate creation.

Here should come a scrap from Lamb to Ayrton, dated July 17, 1821, referring to the Coronation. Lamb says that in consequence of this event he is postponing his Wednesday evening to Friday.]



LETTER 277

CHARLES LAMB TO JOHN TAYLOR

July 21, 1821.

D'r Sir,—The Lond. Mag. is chiefly pleasant to me, because some of my friends write in it. I hope Hazlitt intends to go on with it, we cannot spare Table Talk. For myself I feel almost exhausted, but I will try my hand a little longer, and shall not at all events be written out of it by newspaper paragraphs. Your proofs do not seem to want my helping hand, they are quite correct always. For God's sake change Sisera to Jael. This last paper will be a choke-pear I fear to some people, but as you do not object to it, I can be under little apprehension of your exerting your Censorship too rigidly.

Thanking you for your extract from M'r. E.'s letter,

I remain, D'r Sir,

Your obliged,

C. LAMB.

[Hazlitt continued his Table Talk in the London Magazine until December, 1821.

Lamb seems to have been treated foolishly by some newspaper critic; but I have not traced the paragraphs in question.

The proof was that of the Elia essay "Imperfect Sympathies," which was printed (with a fuller title) in the number for August, 1821. The reference to Jael is in the passage on Braham and the Jewish character.

I do not identify Mr. E. Possibly Elton. See next letter.

Here should come a further letter to Taylor, dated July 30, 1821, in which Lamb refers to some verses addressed to him by "Olen" (Charles Abraham Elton: see note to next letter) in the London Magazine for August, remonstrating with him for the pessimism of the Elia essay "New Year's Eve" (see Vol. II. of this edition).

Lamb also remarks that he borrowed the name Elia (pronounced Ellia) from an old South-Sea House clerk who is now dead.

Elia has recently been identified by Mr. R.W. Goulding, the librarian at Welbeck Abbey, as F. Augustus Elia, author of a French tract entitled Consideration sur l'etat actuel de la France au mois de Juin 1815. Par une anglais. It is privately reprinted in Letters from the originals at Welbeck Abbey, 1909.]



LETTER 278

CHARLES LAMB TO CHARLES ABRAHAM ELTON

India House

to which place all letters addressed to C.L. commonly come.

[August 17, 1821 (?).]

My dear Sir, You have overwhelmed me with your favours. I have received positively a little library from Baldwyn's. I do not know how I have deserved such a bounty. We have been up to the ear in the classics ever since it came. I have been greatly pleased, but most, I think, with the Hesiod,—the Titan battle quite amazed me. Gad, it was no child's play—and then the homely aphorisms at the end of the works—how adroitly you have turned them! Can he be the same Hesiod who did the Titans? the latter is—

"——-wine Which to madness does incline."

But to read the Days and Works, is like eating nice brown bread, homely sweet and nutritive. Apollonius was new to me. I had confounded him with the conjuror of that name. Medea is glorious; but I cannot give up Dido. She positively is the only Fine Lady of Antiquity: her courtesy to the Trojans is altogether queen-like. Eneas is a most disagreeable person. Ascanius a pretty young master. Mezentius for my money. His dying speech shames Turpin—not the Archbishop I mean, but the roadster of that name.

I have been ashamed to find how many names of classics (and more than their names) you have introduced me to, that before I was ignorant of. Your commendation of Master Chapman arrideth me. Can any one read the pert modern Frenchify'd notes, &c., in Pope's translation, and contrast them with solemn weighty prefaces of Chapman, writing in full faith, as he evidently does, of the plenary inspiration of his author—worshipping his meanest scraps and relics as divine—without one sceptical misgiving of their authenticity, and doubt which was the properest to expound Homer to their countrymen. Reverend Chapman! you have read his hymn to Pan (the Homeric)—why, it is Milton's blank verse clothed with rhyme. Paradise Lost could scarce lose, could it be so accoutred.

I shall die in the belief that he has improved upon Homer, in the Odyssey in particular—the disclosure of Ulysses of himself, to Alcinous, his previous behaviour at the song of the stern strife arising between Achilles and himself (how it raises him above the Iliad Ulysses!) but you know all these things quite as well as I do. But what a deaf ear old C. would have turned to the doubters in Homer's real personality! They might as well have denied the appearance of J.C. in the flesh.—He apparently believed all the fables of H.'s birth, &c.

Those notes of Bryant have caused the greatest disorder in my brain-pan. Well, I will not flatter when I say that we have had two or three long evening's good reading out of your kind present.

I will say nothing of the tenderest parts in your own little volume, at the end of such a slatternly scribble as this, but indeed they cost us some tears. I scrawl away because of interruptions every moment. You guess how it is in a busy office—papers thrust into your hand when your hand is busiest—and every anti-classical disavocation.

[Conclusion cut away.]

[Sir Charles Abraham Elton (1778-1853) seems to have sent Lamb a number of his books, principally his Specimens of the Classical Poets ... from Homer to Tryphiodorus translated into English Verse, Baldwin, 1814, in three volumes. Lamb refers first to the passage from Hesiod's Theogony, and then to his Works and Days (which Chapman translated)—"Dispensation of Providence to the Just and Unjust."

Apollonius Rhodius was the author of The Argonautics. Lamb then passes on to Virgil. For the death of Mezentius see the Aeneid, Book X., at the end. The makers of broadsides had probably credited Dick Turpin with a dying speech.

"Those notes of Bryant." Lamb possibly refers to Jacob Bryant's Essay on the Original Genius and Writings of Homer, 1775, or his pamphlet on the Trojan War, 1795, 1799.

"Your own little volume." Probably The Brothers and Other Poems, by Elton, 1820.]



LETTER 279

CHARLES LAMB TO CHARLES COWDEN CLARKE

[Summer, 1821.]

My dear Sir—Your letter has lain in a drawer of my desk, upbraiding me every time I open the said drawer, but it is almost impossible to answer such a letter in such a place, and I am out of the habit of replying to epistles otherwhere than at office. You express yourself concerning H. like a true friend, and have made me feel that I have somehow neglected him, but without knowing very well how to rectify it. I live so remote from him—by Hackney—that he is almost out of the pale of visitation at Hampstead. And I come but seldom to Cov't Gard'n this summer time—and when I do, am sure to pay for the late hours and pleasant Novello suppers which I incur. I also am an invalid. But I will hit upon some way, that you shall not have cause for your reproof in future. But do not think I take the hint unkindly. When I shall be brought low by any sickness or untoward circumstance, write just such a letter to some tardy friend of mine—or come up yourself with your friendly Henshaw face—and that will be better. I shall not forget in haste our casual day at Margate. May we have many such there or elsewhere! God bless you for your kindness to H., which I will remember. But do not show N. this, for the flouting infidel doth mock when Christians cry God bless us. Yours and his, too, and all our little circle's most affect'e.

C. LAMB.

Mary's love included.

[Charles Cowden Clarke (1787-1877) was the son of a schoolmaster who had served as usher with George Dyer at Northampton. Afterwards he established a school at Enfield, where Keats was one of the scholars. Charles Cowden Clarke, at this time a bookseller, remained one of Keats' friends and was a friend also of Leigh Hunt's, on whose behalf he seems to have written to Lamb. Later he became a partner of Alfred Novello, the musical publisher, son of Vincent Novello. In 1828 he married Mary Victoria Novello.

"Friendly Henshaw face." I cannot explain this.

Leigh Hunt left England for Italy in November, 1821, to join Shelley and Byron.

Here should come a brief note to Allan Cunningham asking him to an evening party of London Magazine contributors at 20 Russell St., given in the Boston Bibliophile edition.]



LETTER 280

MARY LAMB TO MRS. WILLIAM AYRTON

[No date. ?1821.]

Thursday Morning.

MY dear friend,

The kind interest you took in my perplexities of yesterday makes me feel that you will be well pleased to hear I got through my complicated business far better than I had ventured to hope I should do. In the first place let me thank you, my good friend, for your good advice; for, had I not gone to Martin first he would have sent a senseless letter to Mr. Rickman, and now he is coming here to-day in order to frame one in conjunction with my brother.

What will be Mr. Rickman's final determination I know not, but he and Mrs. Rickman both gave me a most kind reception, and a most patient hearing, and then Mr. R. walked with me as far as Bishopsgate Street, conversing the whole way on the same unhappy subject. I will see you again the very first opportunity till when farewel with grateful thanks.

How senseless I was not to make you go back in that empty coach. I never have but one idea in my poor head at a time.

Yours affectionately

M. LAMB.

at Mr. Coston's

No. 14 Kingsland Row Dalston.

[The explanation of this letter is found in an entry in Crabb Robinson's Diary, the unpublished portion, which tells us that owing to certain irregularities Rickman, who was Clerk Assistant at the table of the House of Commons, had been obliged to discharge Martin Burney, who was one of his clerks.

Here should come another scrap from Lamb to Ayrton, dated August 14, stating that at to-morrow's rubber the windows will be closed on account of Her Majesty's death. Her Majesty was Queen Caroline, whom Lamb had championed. She died on August 7.]



LETTER 281

CHARLES LAMB TO THOMAS ALLSOP

Oct. 21, 1819.

My dear Sir, I have to thank you for a fine hare, and unless I am mistaken for two, the first I received a week since, the account given with it was that it came from Mr. Alfourd—I have no friend of that name, but two who come near it

Mr. Talfourd

Mr. Alsop

so my gratitude must be divided between you, till I know the true sender. We are and shall be some time, I fear, at Dalston, a distance which does not improve hares by the circuitous route of Cov't Garden, though for the sweetness of this last I will answer. We dress it to-day. I suppose you know my sister has been & is ill. I do not see much hopes, though there is a glimmer, of her speedy recovery. When we are all well, I hope to come among our town friends, and shall have great pleasure in welcoming you from Beresford Hall.

Yours, & old Mr. Walton's, & honest Mr. Cotton's Piscatorum Amicus, C.L.

India House 19 Oct. 21



LETTER 282

CHARLES LAMB TO WILLIAM AYRTON

[Oct. 27, 1821.]

I Come, Grimalkin! Dalston, near Hackney, 27th Oct'r. One thousand 8 hundred and twenty one years and a wee-bit since you and I were redeemed. I doubt if you are done properly yet.

[A further letter to Ayrton, dated from Dalston, October 30, is printed by Mr. Macdonald, in which Lamb speaks of his sister's illness and the death of his brother John, who died on October 26, aged fifty-eight. It is reasonable to suppose that Lamb, when the above note was written, was unaware of his brother's death (see note to Letter 284 on page 610). On October 26, however, he had written to the editor of the London Magazine saying that he was most uncomfortably situated at home and expecting some trouble which might prevent further writing for some time—which may have been an allusion to his brother's illness or to signs of Mary Lamb's approaching malady.

Here should come a note to William Hone, evidently in reply to a comment on Lamb's essay on "Saying Grace."

Here should come a letter from Lamb to Rickman, dated November 20, 1821, referring to Admiral Burney's death. "I have been used to death lately. Poor Jim White's departure last year first broke the spell. I had been so fortunate as to have lost no friends in that way for many long years, and began to think people did not die." He says that Mary Lamb has recovered from a long illness and is pretty well resigned to John Lamb's death.]



LETTER 283

CHARLES LAMB TO S.T. COLERIDGE

March 9th, 1822.

Dear C.,—It gives me great satisfaction to hear that the pig turned out so well—they are interesting creatures at a certain age—what a pity such buds should blow out into the maturity of rank bacon! You had all some of the crackling —and brain sauce—did you remember to rub it with butter, and gently dredge it a little, just before the crisis? Did the eyes come away kindly with no Oedipean avulsion? Was the crackling the colour of the ripe pomegranate? Had you no complement of boiled neck of mutton before it, to blunt the edge of delicate desire? Did you flesh maiden teeth in it? Not that I sent the pig, or can form the remotest guess what part Owen could play in the business. I never knew him give anything away in my life. He would not begin with strangers. I suspect the pig, after all, was meant for me; but at the unlucky juncture of time being absent, the present somehow went round to Highgate. To confess an honest truth, a pig is one of those things I could never think of sending away. Teals, wigeons, snipes, barn-door fowl, ducks, geese—your tame villatic things—Welsh mutton, collars of brawn, sturgeon, fresh or pickled, your potted char, Swiss cheeses, French pies, early grapes, muscadines, I impart as freely unto my friends as to myself. They are but self-extended; but pardon me if I stop somewhere—where the fine feeling of benevolence giveth a higher smack than the sensual rarity—there my friends (or any good man) may command me; but pigs are pigs, and I myself therein am nearest to myself. Nay, I should think it an affront, an undervaluing done to Nature who bestowed such a boon upon me, if in a churlish mood I parted with the precious gift. One of the bitterest pangs of remorse I ever felt was when a child—when my kind old aunt had strained her pocketstrings to bestow a sixpenny whole plum-cake upon me. In my way home through the Borough, I met a venerable old man, not a mendicant, but thereabouts—a look-beggar, not a verbal petitionist; and in the coxcombry of taught-charity I gave away the cake to him. I walked on a little in all the pride of an Evangelical peacock, when of a sudden my old aunt's kindness crossed me—the sum it was to her—the pleasure she had a right to expect that I—not the old impostor —should take in eating her cake—the cursed ingratitude by which, under the colour of a Christian virtue, I had frustrated her cherished purpose. I sobbed, wept, and took it to heart so grievously, that I think I never suffered the like—and I was right. It was a piece of unfeeling hypocrisy, and proved a lesson to me ever after. The cake has long been masticated, consigned to dunghill with the ashes of that unseasonable pauper.

But when Providence, who is better to us all than our aunts, gives me a pig, remembering my temptation and my fall, I shall endeavour to act towards it more in the spirit of the donor's purpose.

Yours (short of pig) to command in everything. C.L.

[This letter probably led to the immediate composition of the Elia essay "A Dissertation on Roast Pig" (see Vol. II. of the present edition), which was printed in the London Magazine for September, 1822. See also "Thoughts on Presents of Game," Vol. I. of this edition.

"Owen." Lamb's landlord in Russell Street.

"My kind old aunt... the Borough." This is rather perplexing. Lamb, to the best of our knowledge, never as a child lived anywhere but in the Temple. His only aunt of whom we know anything lived with the family also in the Temple. But John Lamb's will proves Lamb to have had two aunts. The reference to the Borough suggests therefore that the aunt in question was not Sarah Lamb (Aunt Hetty) but her sister.]



LETTER 284

CHARLES LAMB TO WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

20th March, 1822.

My dear Wordsworth—A letter from you is very grateful, I have not seen a Kendal postmark so long! We are pretty well save colds and rheumatics, and a certain deadness to every thing, which I think I may date from poor John's Loss, and another accident or two at the same time, that has made me almost bury myself at Dalston, where yet I see more faces than I could wish. Deaths over-set one and put one out long after the recent grief. Two or three have died within this last two twelvem'ths, and so many parts of me have been numbed. One sees a picture, reads an anecdote, starts a casual fancy, and thinks to tell of it to this person in preference to every other—the person is gone whom it would have peculiarly suited. It won't do for another. Every departure destroys a class of sympathies. There's Capt. Burney gone!—what fun has whist now? what matters it what you lead, if you can no longer fancy him looking over you? One never hears any thing, but the image of the particular person occurs with whom alone almost you would care to share the intelligence. Thus one distributes oneself about—and now for so many parts of me I have lost the market. Common natures do not suffice me. Good people, as they are called, won't serve. I want individuals. I am made up of queer points and I want so many answering needles. The going away of friends does not make the remainder more precious. It takes so much from them as there was a common link. A. B. and C. make a party. A. dies. B. not only loses A. but all A.'s part in C. C. loses A.'s part in B., and so the alphabet sickens by subtraction of interchangeables. I express myself muddily, capite dolente. I have a dulling cold. My theory is to enjoy life, but the practice is against it. I grow ominously tired of official confinement. Thirty years have I served the Philistines, and my neck is not subdued to the yoke. You don't know how wearisome it is to breathe the air of four pent walls without relief day after day, all the golden hours of the day between 10 and 4 without ease or interposition. Taedet me harum quotidianarum formarum, these pestilential clerk faces always in one's dish. O for a few years between the grave and the desk! they are the same, save that at the latter you are outside the machine. The foul enchanter—letters four do form his name—Busirane is his name in hell—that has curtailed you of some domestic comforts, hath laid a heavier hand on me, not in present infliction, but in taking away the hope of enfranchisement. I dare not whisper to myself a Pension on this side of absolute incapacitation and infirmity, till years have sucked me dry. Otium cum indignitate. I had thought in a green old age (O green thought!) to have retired to Ponder's End—emblematic name how beautiful! in the Ware road, there to have made up my accounts with Heaven and the Company, toddling about between it and Cheshunt, anon stretching on some fine Izaac Walton morning to Hoddesdon or Amwell, careless as a Beggar, but walking, walking ever, till I fairly walkd myself off my legs, dying walking!

The hope is gone. I sit like Philomel all day (but not singing) with my breast against this thorn of a Desk, with the only hope that some Pulmonary affliction may relieve me. Vide Lord Palmerston's report of the Clerks in the war office (Debates, this morning's Times) by which it appears in 20 years, as many Clerks have been coughd and catarrhd out of it into their freer graves.

Thank you for asking about the Pictures. Milton hangs over my fire side in Covt. Card, (when I am there), the rest have been sold for an old song, wanting the eloquent tongue that should have set them off!

You have gratifyd me with liking my meeting with Dodd. For the Malvolio story—the thing is become in verity a sad task and I eke it out with any thing. If I could slip out of it I sh'd be happy, but our chief reputed assistants have forsaken us. The opium eater crossed us once with a dazzling path, and hath as suddenly left us darkling; and in short I shall go on from dull to worse, because I cannot resist the Bookseller's importunity—the old plea you know of authors, but I believe on my part sincere.

Hartley I do not so often see, but I never see him in unwelcome hour. I thoroughly love and honor him.

I send you a frozen Epistle, but it is winter and dead time of the year with me. May heaven keep something like spring and summer up with you, strengthen your eyes and make mine a little lighter to encounter with them, as I hope they shall yet and again, before all are closed.

Yours, with every kind rem'be.

C.L.

I had almost forgot to say, I think you thoroughly right about presentation copies. I should like to see you print a book I should grudge to purchase for its size. D——n me, but I would have it though!

[John Lamb's will left everything to his brother. We must suppose that his widow was independently provided for. I doubt if the brothers had seen each other except casually for some time. The Elia essay "My Relations" contains John Lamb's full-length portrait under the name of James Elia.

Captain Burney died on November 17, 1821,

"The foul enchanter—letters four do form his name." From Coleridge's war eclogue, "Fire, Famine and Slaughter," where the letters form the name of Pitt. Here they stand for Joseph Hume, not Lamb's friend, but Joseph Hume, M.P. (1777-1855), who had attacked with success abuses in the East India Company; had revised economically the system of collecting the revenue, thus touching Wordsworth as Distributor of Stamps; and had opposed Vansittart's scheme for the reduction of pension charges.

"Vide Lord Palmerston's report." In the Times of March 21 is the report of a debate on the estimates. Palmerston proved a certain amount of reduction of salary in the War Office. Incidentally he remarked that "since 1810 not fewer than twenty-six clerks had died of pulmonary complaints, and disorders arising from sedentary habits."

Milton was the portrait, already described, which had been left to Lamb. Lamb gave it as a dowry to Emma Isola when she became Mrs. Moxon.

"My meeting with Dodd ... Malvolio story." In the essay "The Old Actors," in the London Magazine for February, 1822 (see Vol. II. of this edition).

"Our chief reputed assistants." Hazlitt had left the London Magazine; Scott, the original editor, was dead.

De Quincey, whose Confessions of an Opium-Eater were appearing in its pages, has left a record of a visit to the Lambs about this time. See his "London Reminiscences."

"Hartley." Hartley Coleridge, then a young man of twenty-five, was living in London after the unhappy sudden termination of his Oxford career.

Here should come a brief note to Mrs. Norris, dated March 26, 1822, given in the Boston Bibliophile edition.

Here should come a letter from Lamb to William Godwin, dated April 13, in which Lamb remarks that he cannot think how Godwin, who in his writings never expresses himself disrespectfully of any one but his Maker, can have given offence to Rickman. This reminds one of Godwin's remark about Coleridge, "God bless him—to use a vulgar expression," as recorded by Coleridge in one of his letters. Lamb also said of Godwin (and to him) that he had read more books that were not worth reading than any man in England.]



LETTER 285

CHARLES LAMB TO W. HARRISON AINSWORTH

[Dated at end: May 7, 1822.]

Dear Sir,—I have read your poetry with pleasure. The tales are pretty and prettily told, the language often finely poetical. It is only sometimes a little careless, I mean as to redundancy. I have marked certain passages (in pencil only, which will easily obliterate) for your consideration. Excuse this liberty. For the distinction you offer me of a dedication, I feel the honor of it, but I do not think it would advantage the publication. I am hardly on an eminence enough to warrant it. The Reviewers, who are no friends of mine—the two big ones especially who make a point of taking no notice of anything I bring out—may take occasion by it to decry us both. But I leave you to your own judgment. Perhaps, if you wish to give me a kind word, it will be more appropriate before your republication of Tourneur.

The "Specimens" would give a handle to it, which the poems might seem to want. But I submit it to yourself with the old recollection that "beggars should not be chusers" and remain with great respect and wishing success to both your publications

Your obe't. Ser't.

C. LAMB.

No hurry at all for Tourneur.

Tuesday 7 May '22.

[William Harrison Ainsworth (1805-1882), afterwards known as a novelist, was then articled to a Manchester solicitor, but had begun his literary career. The book to which Lamb refers was called The Works of Cheviot Tichburn, 1822, and was dedicated to him in the following terms:—"To my friend Charles Lamb, as a slight mark of gratitude for his kindness and admiration of his character, these poems are inscribed."

Ainsworth was meditating an edition of the works of Cyril Tourneur, author of "The Atheist's Tragedy," to whom Lamb had drawn attention in the Dramatic Specimens, 1808. The book was never published.]



LETTER 286

CHARLES LAMB TO WILLIAM GODWIN

May 16, 1822.

Dear Godwin—I sincerely feel for all your trouble. Pray use the enclosed L50, and pay me when you can. I shall make it my business to see you very shortly.

Yours truly

C. LAMB.

[Owing largely to a flaw in the title-deed of his house at 41 Skinner Street, which he had to forfeit, Godwin had come upon poverty greater than any he had previously suffered, although he had been always more or less necessitous. Lamb now lent him L50. In the following year, after being mainly instrumental in putting on foot a fund for Godwin's benefit, he transformed this loan into a gift. An appeal was issued in 1823 asking for; L600, the following postscript to which, in Lamb's hand, is preserved at the South Kensington Museum:—

"There are few circumstances belonging to the case which are not sufficiently adverted to in the above letter.

"Mr. Godwin's opponent declares himself determined to act against him with the last degree of hostility: the law gives him the power the first week in November to seize upon Mr. Godwin's property, furniture, books, &c. together with all his present sources of income for the support of himself and his family. Mr. Godwin has at this time made considerable progress in a work of great research, and requiring all the powers of his mind, to the completion of which he had lookd for future pecuniary advantage. His mind is at this moment so entirely occupied in this work, that he feels within himself the firmness and resolution that no prospect of evil or calamity shall draw him off from it or suspend his labours. But the calamity itself, if permitted to arrive, will produce the physical impossibility for him to proceed. His books and the materials of his work, as well as his present sources of income, will be taken from him. Those materials have been the collection of several years, and it would require a long time to replace them, if they could ever be replaced.

"The favour of an early answer is particularly requested, that the extent of the funds supplied may as soon as possible be ascertained, particularly as any aid, however kindly intended, will, after the lapse of a very few weeks, become useless to the purpose in view."

The signatories to the appeal were: Crabb Robinson (L30), William Ayrton (L10), John Murray (L10 10s.), Charles Lamb (L50), Lord Francis Leveson-Gower (L10), Lord Dudley (L50), the Hon. W. Lamb (L20) and Sir James Macintosh (L10). Other contributions were: Lord Byron, L26 5s.; T.M. Alsager, L10; and "A B C, by Charles Lamb," L10. A B C was Sir Walter Scott.

The work on which Godwin was then labouring was his History of the Commonwealth, 1824-1828. His new home was in the Strand. In 1833 he received the post of Yeoman Usher of the Exchequer, which he held till his death in 1836, although its duties had vanished ere then.]



LETTER 287

CHARLES LAMB TO MRS. JOHN LAMB

22 May 1822.

Dear Mrs. Lamb, A letter has come to Arnold for Mrs. Phillips, and, as I have not her address, I take this method of sending it to you. That old rogue's name is Sherwood, as you guessed, but as I named the shirts to him, I think he must have them. Your character of him made me almost repent of the bounty.

You must consider this letter as Mary's—for writing letters is such a trouble and puts her to such twitters (family modesty, you know; it is the way with me, but I try to get over it) that in pity I offer to do it for her.—

We hold our intention of seeing France, but expect to see you here first, as we do not go till the 20th of next month. A steam boat goes to Dieppe, I see.—

Christie has not sent to me, and I suppose is in no hurry to settle the account. I think in a day or two (if I do not hear from you to the contrary) I shall refresh his memory.

I am sorry I made you pay for two Letters. I Peated it, and re-peated it.

Miss Wright is married, and I am a hamper in her debt, which I hope will now not be remembered. She is in great good humour, I hear, and yet out of spirits.

Where shall I get such full flavor'd Geneva again?

Old Mr. Henshaw died last night precisely at 1/2 past 11.—He has been open'd by desire of Mrs. McKenna; and, where his heart should have been, was found a stone. Poor Arnold is inconsolable; and, not having shaved since, looks deplorable.

With our kind remembrances to Caroline and your friends

We remain yours affectionaly C.L. AND M. LAMB.

[Occupying the entire margin up the left-hand side of the letter is, in Mary Lamb's hand:—]

I thank you for your kind letter, and owe you one in return, but Charles is in such a hurry to send this to be franked.

Your affectionate sister

M. LAMB.

[On the right-hand margin, beside the paragraph about Mr. Henshaw, is written in the same hand, underlined:—]

He is not dead.

[John Lamb's widow had been a Mrs. Dowden, with an unmarried daughter, probably the Caroline referred to. The letter treats of family matters which could not now be explained even if it were worth while. The Lambs were arranging a visit to Versailles, to the Kenneys. Mr. Henshaw was Lamb's godfather, a gunsmith.]



LETTER 288

(Fragment)

CHARLES LAMB TO MARY LAMB (in Paris).

[August, 1822.]

Then you must walk all along the Borough side of the Seine facing the Tuileries. There is a mile and a half of print shops and book stalls. If the latter were but English. Then there is a place where the Paris people put all their dead people and bring em flowers and dolls and ginger bread nuts and sonnets and such trifles. And that is all I think worth seeing as sights, except that the streets and shops of Paris are themselves the best sight.

[The Lambs had left England for France in June. While they were there Mary Lamb was taken ill again—in a diligence, according to Moore—and Lamb had to return home alone, leaving a letter, of which this is the only portion that has been preserved, for her guidance on her recovery. It is also the only writing from Lamb to his sister that exists. Mary Lamb, who had taken her nurse with her in case of trouble, was soon well again, and in August had the company of Crabb Robinson in Paris. Mrs. Aders was also there, and Foss, the bookseller in Pall Mall, and his brother. And it was on this visit that the Lambs met John Howard Payne, whom we shall shortly see.]



LETTER 289

CHARLES LAMB TO JOHN CLARE

India House, 31 Aug., 1822.

Dear Clare—I thank you heartily for your present. I am an inveterate old Londoner, but while I am among your choice collections, I seem to be native to them, and free of the country. The quantity of your observation has astonished me. What have most pleased me have been Recollections after a Ramble, and those Grongar Hill kind of pieces in eight syllable lines, my favourite measure, such as Cowper Hill and Solitude. In some of your story-telling Ballads the provincial phrases sometimes startle me. I think you are too profuse with them. In poetry slang of every kind is to be avoided. There is a rustick Cockneyism, as little pleasing as ours of London. Transplant Arcadia to Helpstone. The true rustic style, the Arcadian English, I think is to be found in Shenstone. Would his Schoolmistress, the prettiest of poems, have been better, if he had used quite the Goody's own language? Now and then a home rusticism is fresh and startling, but where nothing is gained in expression, it is out of tenor. It may make folks smile and stare, but the ungenial coalition of barbarous with refined phrases will prevent you in the end from being so generally tasted, as you deserve to be. Excuse my freedom, and take the same liberty with my puns.

I send you two little volumes of my spare hours. They are of all sorts, there is a methodist hymn for Sundays, and a farce for Saturday night. Pray give them a place on your shelf. Pray accept a little volume, of which I have [a] duplicate, that I may return in equal number to your welcome presents.

I think I am indebted to you for a sonnet in the London for August.

Since I saw you I have been in France, and have eaten frogs. The nicest little rabbity things you ever tasted. Do look about for them. Make Mrs. Clare pick off the hind quarters, boil them plain, with parsley and butter. The fore quarters are not so good. She may let them hop off by themselves.

Yours sincerely,

CHAS. LAMB.

[John Clare (1793-1864) was the Northamptonshire poet whom the London Magazine had introduced to fame. Octavius Gilchrist had played to him the same part that Capell Lofft had to Bloomfield. His first volume, Poems Descriptive of Rural Life and Scenery, was published in January, 1820; his next, The Village Minstrel, in September of the next year. These he had probably sent to Lamb. Helpstone was Clare's birthplace. Lamb's two little return volumes were his Works. The sonnet in the August London Magazine was not signed by Clare. It runs thus:—