1818 THE TRUE TYRANTS 513 which never can be realized. Between us there is a great gulf— not of inexplicable moral antipathies and distances, I hope (as there seemd to be between me and that Gentleman concern'd in the Stamp office that I so strangely coiled up from at Haydons). I think I had an instinct that he was the head of an office. I hate all such people-Accountants, Deputy Accountants. The dear abstract notion of the East India Company, as long as she is unseen, is pretty, rather Poetical; but as SHE makes herself manifest by the persons of such Beasts, I loathe and detest her as the Scarlet what-do-you-call-her of Babylon. I thought, after abridging us of all our red letter days, they had done their worst, but I was deceived in the length to which Heads of offices, those true Liberty haters, can go. They are the tyrants, not Ferdinand, nor Nero-by a decree past this week, they have abridged us of the immemorially-observed custom of going at one o'clock of a Saturday, the little shadow of a holiday left us. Blast them. I speak it soberly. Dear W. W., be thankful for your Liberty. We have spent two very pleasant Evenings lately with Mr. Monkhouse. NOTE [Mary Lamb's letter of news either was not written or has not been preserved. Lamb returned to the subject of this essay for his Popular Fallacy "That Home is Home" in 1826 (see Vol. II. of this edition, page 263). A little previously to that essay he had written an article in the New Times on unwelcome callers (see Vol. I. of this edition, page 270). "Plato's double animal parted." A reference, I think, to the Phædo. "Corner of my mind." I do not find this. "Miss Burrell"-Fanny Burrell, afterwards Mrs. Gould. Lamb wrote in praise of her performance in "Don Giovanni in London " (see Vol. I. of this edition, page 372). 66 Fanny Kelly's divine plain face." Only seventeen months later Lamb proposed to Miss Kelly. "Lalla Rooks." Thomas Moore's poem Lalla Rookh was published in 1817. "What Coleridge said." Coleridge was still lecturing on Shakespeare and poetry in Flower-de-Luce Court. "Ante-Cadmeans." Cadmus is fabled as having introduced the use of letters into Greece. "Morgan, or Demogorgon." Lamb was fond of the passage in Paradise Lost (II., 295), in which "the dreaded name of Demogorgon" sounds. VOL. VI.-33 "Human faces (divine forsooth).” Or flocks, or herds, or human face divine. Paradise Lost, III., 44. "The two theatres "-Drury Lane and Covent Garden. "Bishop"-Sir Henry Rowley Bishop (1786-1855), composer of "Home, Sweet Home." "That fury being quenchd." That fury stay'd, Quencht in a boggy Syrtis. Paradise Lost, II., 938-939. "Mocks and mows." "Mop and mow," in "The Tempest," IV., 1, 47. "Christabel's father." Each matin bell, the Baron saith, Part II., lines 1 and 2. "W. H. goes on lecturing." Hazlitt was delivering a course of lectures on the English poets at the Surrey Institution. ""Gentlemen' said I." On another occasion Lamb, asked to give a toast, gave the best he knew-woodcock on toast. See also his toasts at Haydon's dinner. I do not know when or why the dinner was given to him; perhaps after the failure of " W. H." "Gentleman concern'd in the Stamp office." See note to the preceding letter. "Our red letter days." Lamb repeats the complaint in his Elia essay "Oxford in the Vacation." In 1820, I see from the Directory, the Accountant's Office, where Lamb had his desk, kept sacred only five red-letter days, where, ten years earlier, it had observed many. "Mr. Monkhouse." Thomas Monkhouse, a friend of the Wordsworths and of Lamb. He was at Haydon's dinner. Here should come a note from Lamb to Charles and James Ollier, dated May 28, 1818, not available for this edition (printed in The Lambs); which apparently accompanied final proofs of Lamb's Works. Lamb remarks, "There is a Sonnet to come in by way of dedication." This would be that to Martin Burney at the beginning of Vol. II. The Works were published in two volumes with a beautiful dedication to Coleridge (see Vol. V. of the present edition, page 1). Charles Ollier (1788-1859) was a friend of Leigh Hunt's, for whom he published, as well as for Shelley. He also brought out Keats' first volume. The Olliers' address was The Library, Vere Street, Oxford Street.] 1818 LAMB'S "WORKS" 515 LETTER 230 CHARLES LAMB TO CHARLES AND JAMES OLLIER EAR Sir (whichever opens it) [P.M. June 18, 1818.] my } your Am I am going off to Birminghm. I find my books, whatever faculty of selling they may have (I wish they had more for sake), are admirably adapted for giving away. You have been bounteous. Six more and I shall have satisfied all just claims. I taking too great a liberty in begging you to send 4 as follows, and reserve 2 for me when I come home? That will make 31. Thirty-one times 12 is 372 shillings, Eighteen pounds twelve Shillings!!!-but here are my friends, to whom, if you could transmit them, as I shall be away a month, you will greatly oblige the obliged Mr. Ayrton, James Street, Buckingham Gate C. LAMB. Mr. Alsager, Suffolk Street East, Southwark, by Horsemonger directed to R. Southey, Esq., Keswick, Cumberland one for R. S.; and one for Wm. Wordsworth, Esq1. If you will be kind enough simply to write "from the Author" in all 4-you will still further etc. Either Longman or Murray is in the frequent habit of sending books to Southey and will take charge of the Parcel. It will be as well to write in at the beginning thus R. Southey Esq. from the Author. W. Wordsworth Esq. from the Author. Then, if I can find the remaining 2, left for me at Russell St when I return, rather than encroach any more on the heap, I will engage to make no more new friends ad infinitum, YOURSELVES being the last. I think Southey will give us a lift in that damn'd Quarterly. I meditate an attack upon that Cobler Gifford, which shall appear immediately after any favourable mention which S. may make in the Quarterly. It can't in decent gratitude appear before. NOTE [We know nothing of Lamb's visit to Birmingham. He is hardly likely to have stayed with any of the Lloyd family. The attack on Gifford was probably the following sonnet, printed in The Examiner for October 3 and 4, 1819: ST. CRISPIN TO MR. GIFFORD All unadvised, and in an evil hour, Still teazing Muses, which are still denying; DE LETTER 231 CHARLES LAMB TO ROBERT SOUTHEY Monday, Oct. 26th, 1818. EAR Southey,-I am pleased with your friendly remembrances of my little things. I do not know whether I have done a silly thing or a wise one; but it is of no great consequence. I run no risk, and care for no censures. My bread and cheese is stable as the foundations of Leadenhall Street, and if it hold out as long as the "foundations of our empire in the East," I shall do pretty well. You and W. W. should have had your presentation copies more ceremoniously sent; but I had no copies when I was leaving town for my holidays, and rather than delay, commissioned my bookseller to send them thus nakedly. By not hearing from W. W. or you, I began to be afraid Murray had not sent them. I do not see S. T. C. so often as I could wish. He never comes to me; and though his host and hostess are very friendly, it puts me out of my way to go see one person at another person's house. It was the same when he resided at Morgan's. Not but they also were more than civil; but after all one feels so welcome at one's own house. Have you seen poor Miss Betham's "Vignettes "? Some of them, the second particularly, "To Lucy," are sweet and 1818 PLANS FOR HIGHGATE 517 good as herself, while she was herself. She is in some measure abroad again. I am better than I deserve to be. The hot weather has been such a treat! Mary joins in this little corner in kindest remembrances to you all. NOTE C. L. [The letter treats of Lamb's Works, just published. Matilda Betham followed up The Lay of Marie with a volume entitled Vignettes. "I am better than I deserve." Why Lamb underlined these words I do not know, but it may have been a quotation from Coleridge. Carlyle in his account of his visit to Coleridge at Highgate (in the Life of John Sterling) puts it into Coleridge's mouth in connection with a lukewarm cup of tea.] MY LETTER 232 CHARLES LAMB TO S. T. COLERIDGE Dec. 24th, 1818. Y dear Coleridge,-I have been in a state of incessant hurry ever since the receipt of your ticket. It found me incapable of attending you, it being the night of Kenney's new comedy. . . .' You know my local aptitudes at such a time; I have been a thorough rendezvous for all consultations. My head begins to clear up a little; but it has had bells in it. Thank you kindly for your ticket, though the mournful prognostic which accompanies it certainly renders its permanent pretensions less marketable; but I trust to hear many a course yet. You excepted Christmas week, by which I understood next week, I thought Christmas week was that which Christmas Sunday ushered in. We are sorry it never lies in your way to come to us; but, dear Mahomet, we will come to you. Will it be convenient to all the good people at Highgate, if we take a stage up, not next Sunday, but the following, viz., 3rd January, 1819-shall we be too late to catch a skirt of the old out-goer ;-how the years crumble from under us! We shall hope to see you before then; but, if not, let us know if then will be convenient. Can we secure a coach home? I have but one holiday, which is Christmas-day itself nakedly: no pretty garnish and fringes of St. John's day, Holy Innocents 1[Canon Ainger supplies the four missing words: "which has utterly failed."] |