The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb Volume VI Part 6

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 grat.i.tude 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 G.o.dWIN

May 16, 1822.

Dear G.o.dwin--I sincerely feel for all your trouble. Pray use the enclosed 50, 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 t.i.tle-deed of his house at 41 Skinner Street, which he had to forfeit, G.o.dwin had come upon poverty greater than any he had previously suffered, although he had been always more or less necessitous. Lamb now lent him 50. In the following year, after being mainly instrumental in putting on foot a fund for G.o.dwin's benefit, he transformed this loan into a gift. An appeal was issued in 1823 asking for; 600, the following postscript to which, in Lamb's hand, is preserved at the South Kensington Museum:--

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

"Mr. G.o.dwin'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. G.o.dwin's property, furniture, books, &c. together with all his present sources of income for the support of himself and his family. Mr. G.o.dwin 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 (30), William Ayrton (10), John Murray (10 10s.), Charles Lamb (50), Lord Francis Leveson-Gower (10), Lord Dudley (50), the Hon. W. Lamb (20) and Sir James Macintosh (10). Other contributions were: Lord Byron, 26 5s.; T.M. Alsager, 10; and "A B C, by Charles Lamb," 10. A B C was Sir Walter Scott.

The work on which G.o.dwin 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 s.h.i.+rts 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 G.o.dfather, 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.]