Kemble was John Philip Kemble, then manager of Drury Lane. The play was "John Woodvil." For an account of the version which Lamb submitted, see the Notes to Poems and Plays, Vol. V. of the present edition. George Dyer wrote a History of Cambridge University. George Daniel, the antiquary and bookseller, tells us that many years later he took Bloomfield to dine with Lamb at Islington.] LETTER 71 CHARLES LAMB TO THOMAS MANNING [P.M. Nov. 28, 1800.] EAR Manning, I have received a very kind invitation from the Lakes. Now it fortunately happens (which is so seldom the case!) that I have spare cash by me, enough to answer the expenses of so long a journey; and I am determined to get away from the office by some means. The purpose of this letter is to request of you (my dear friend) that you will not take it unkind if I decline my proposed visit to Cambridge for the present. Perhaps I shall be able to take Cambridge in my way, going or coming. I need not describe to you the expectations which such an one as myself, pent up all my life in a dirty city, have formed of a tour to the Lakes. Consider Grasmere! Ambleside! Wordsworth! Coleridge! I hope you will.* Hills, woods, lakes, and mountains, to the eternal devil. I will eat snipes with thee, Thomas Manning. Only confess, confess, a bite. P.S. I think you named the 16th; but was it not modest of Lloyd to send such an invitation! It shows his knowledge of money and time. I would be loth to think he meant "Ironic satire sidelong sklented On my poor pursie.”—BURNS. For my part, with reference to my friends northward, I must confess that I am not romance-bit about Nature. The earth, and sea, and sky (when all is said) is but as a house to dwell in. If the inmates be courteous, and good liquors flow like the conduits at an old coronation; if they can talk sensibly and feel properly; I have no need to stand staring upon the gilded looking-glass (that strained my friend's purse-strings in the purchase), nor his five-shilling print over the mantelpiece of old Nabbs the carrier (which only betrays his false taste). Just as important to me (in a sense) is all the furniture of my world-eye-pampering, but satisfies no heart. Streets, streets, streets, markets, theatres, churches, Covent Gardens, shops 1800 ANOTHER "BITE" 195 sparkling with pretty faces of industrious milliners, neat sempstresses, ladies cheapening, gentlemen behind counters lying, authors in the street with spectacles, George Dyers (you may know them by their gait), lamps lit at night, pastry-cooks' and silver-smiths' shops, beautiful Quakers of Pentonville, noise of coaches, drowsy cry of mechanic watchman at night, with bucks reeling home drunk; if you happen to wake at midnight, cries of Fire and Stop thief; inns of court, with their learned air, and halls, and butteries, just like Cambridge colleges; old book-stalls, Jeremy Taylors, Burtons on Melancholy, and Religio Medicis on every stall. These are thy pleasures, O London with-the-many-sins. O City abounding in whores, for these may Keswick and her giant brood go hang! C. L. NOTE [Charles Lloyd had just settled at Old Brathay, about three miles from Ambleside. Manning's reply to this letter indicates that Lamb's story of the invitation to stay with Lloyd was a hoax. The first page ended where I have put the asterisk-as in Letter 59, to Gutch. Manning writes: "N.B. Your Lake story completely took me in till I got to the 2d page. I was pleased to think you were so rich, but I confess rather wondered how you should be able conveniently to take so long a journey this inside-fare time of the year.” Manning also says: "I condole with you, Mr. Lamb, on the tragic fate of your tragedie-I wonder what fool it was that read it! By the bye, you would do me a very very great favour by letting me have a copy. If Beggars might be chusers, I should ask to have it transcribed partly by you and partly by your sister. I have a desire to possess some of Mary's handwriting" (see Letter 79 from Lamb to Manning, on page 205). "Burns." The lines are in the poem "To W. Simpson, Ochiltree," verse 2:— Ironic satire, sidelins sklented "Beautiful Quakers of Pentonville." This is almost certainly a reference to Hester Savory, the original of Lamb's poem "Hester" (see page 261). The whole passage is the first of three eulogies of London in the letters (see pages 210 and 212), all very similar. See also page 235 for "The Londoner," which Lamb wrote for the Morning Post and which was printed there on February 1, 1802. "You may know them by their gait" (see "Julius Cæsar,” I., 3, DEA LETTERS 72 AND 73 CHARLES LAMB TO WILLIAM GODWIN [Dec. 4, 1800.] EAR Sir,-I send this speedily after the heels of Cooper (O! the dainty expression) to say that Mary is obliged to stay at home on Sunday to receive a female friend, from whom I am equally glad to escape. So that we shall be by ourselves. I write, because it may make some difference in your marketting, &c. C. L. Thursday Morning. I am sorry to put you to the expense of twopence postage. But I calculate thus: if Mary comes she will eat Beef 2 plates, Batter Pudding 1 do. 4d. 2d. 2d. 11d. I drink no wine! 2d. [If the date be correct this becomes the first extant letter proper which Lamb sent to the author of Political Justice. Godwin was then forty-four years old, and had long been busy upon his tragedy "Antonio," in which Lamb had been assisting with suggestions. In this connection I place here the following document, which belongs, however, naturally to an earlier date, but is not harmed by its present position: MINUTE SENT BY C. LAMB TO WILLIAM GODWIN [No date. Autumn, 1800.] Queries. Whether the best conclusion would not be a solemn judicial pleading, appointed by the king, before himself in 1800 GODWIN'S "ANTONIO" 197 person of Antonio as proxy for Roderigo, and Guzman for himself the forms and ordering of it to be highly solemn and grand. For this purpose, (allowing it,) the king must be reserved, and not have committed his royal dignity by descending to previous conference with Antonio, but must refer from the beginning to this settlement. He must sit in dignity as a high royal arbiter. Whether this would admit of spiritual interpositions, cardinals, &c.-appeals to the Pope, and haughty rejection of his interposition by Antonio-(this merely by the way). The pleadings must be conducted by short speeches-replies, taunts, and bitter recriminations by Antonio, in his rough style. In the midst of the undecided cause, may not a messenger break up the proceedings by an account of Roderigo's death (no improbable or far-fetch'd event), and the whole conclude with an affecting and awful invocation of Antonio upon Roderigo's spirit, now no longer dependent upon earthly tribunals or a froward woman's will, &c., &c. Almanza's daughter is now free, &c. This might be made very affecting. Better nothing follow after; if anything, she must step forward and resolve to take the veil. In this case, the whole story of the former nunnery must be omitted. But, I think, better leave the final conclusion to the imagination of the spectator. Probably the violence of confining her in a convent is not necessary; Antonio's own castle would be sufficient. To relieve the former part of the Play, could not some sensible images, some work for the Eye, be introduced? A gallery of Pictures, Almanza's ancestors, to which Antonio might affectingly point his sister, one by one, with anecdote, &c. At all events, with the present want of action, the Play must not extend above four Acts, unless it is quite new modell'd. The proposed alterations might all be effected in a few weeks. Solemn judicial pleadings always go off well, as in Henry the 8th, Merchant of Venice, and perhaps Othello. NOTE Lamb, said Mr. Paul, writing of this critical Minute, was so genuinely kind and even affectionate in his criticism that Godwin did not perceive his real disapproval. Mr. Swinburne, writing in The Athenæum for May 13, 1876, made an interesting comment upon one of Lamb's suggestions in the foregoing document. It contains, he remarks, "a singular anticipation of one of the most famous passages in the work of the greatest master of our own age, the scene of the portraits in 'Hernani: "To relieve the former part of the play, could not some sensible images, some work for the eye, be introduced? A gallery of pictures, Alexander's ancestors, to which Antonio might affectingly point his sister, one by one, with anecdote, &c.' I know of no coincidence more pleasantly and strangely notable than this between the gentle genius of the loveliest among English essayists and the tragic invention of the loftiest among French poets." After long negotiation "Antonio" was now actually in rehearsal at Drury Lane, to be produced on December 13. Lamb supplied the epilogue. Cooper was Godwin's servant.] DE LETTER 74 CHARLES LAMB TO WILLIAM GODWIN Dec. 10th, 1800. Wednesday Morning. EAR Sir, I expected a good deal of pleasure from your company to-morrow, but I am sorry I must beg of you to excuse me. I have been confined ever since I saw you with one of the severest colds I ever experienced, occasioned by being in the night air on Sunday, and on the following day, very foolishly. I am neither in health nor spirits to meet company. I hope and trust I shall get out on Saturday night. You will add to your many favours, by transmitting to me as early as possible as many tickets as conveniently you can spare,-Yours truly, C. L. I have been plotting how to abridge the Epilogue. But I cannot see that any lines can be spared, retaining the connection, except these two, which are better out. "Why should I instance, &c., The sick man's purpose, &c.," and then the following line must run thus, "The truth by an example best is shown." Excuse this important postscript. |