The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb Volume VI Part 57

And now, dear B.B., the Sun s.h.i.+ning out merrily, and the dirty clouds we had yesterday having washd their own faces clean with their own rain, tempts me to wander up Winchmore Hill, or into some of the delightful vicinages of Enfield, which I hope to show you at some time when you can get a few days up to the great Town. Believe me it would give both of us great pleasure to show you all three (we can lodge you) our pleasant farms and villages.--

We both join in kindest loves to you and yours.--

CH. LAMB REDIVIVUS.

Sat.u.r.day.

[The edition of Bunyan was that published for Barton's friend, John Major, and John Murray in 1830, with a life of Bunyan by Southey, and ill.u.s.trations by John Martin and W. Harvey, and a prefatory poem not by Mrs. Hemans but by Bernard Barton immediately before Bunyan's "Author's Apology for his Book," from which Lamb quotes.

"Pidc.o.c.k's." Pidc.o.c.k showed his lions at Bartholomew Fair; he was succeeded by Polito of Exeter Change.

"Heath." This was Charles Heath (1785-1848), son of James Heath, a great engraver of steel plates for the Annuals.

"Mitford's Salamander G.o.d." I cannot explain this, except by Mr.

Macdonald's supposition that Lamb meant to write "Martin's."

"The Gem." See note below, p. 839.

Hood's entertainment for Mathews and Frederick Yates, then joint-managers of the Adelphi, I have not identified. Authors' names on play-bills were, in those days, unimportant. The play was the thing.

Cary. The Rev. H.F. Cary, translator of Dante.

Coleridge and the Annuals. For example, Coleridge's "Names" was in the _Keepsake_ for 1829; his "Lines written in the Alb.u.m at Elbingerode" in part in the _Amulet_ for 1829. He had also contributed previously to the _Literary Souvenir_, the _Amulet_ and the _Bijou_.

Here should come an unprinted note from Lamb to Charles Mathews, dated October 27, 1828, referring to the farce "The p.a.w.nbroker's Daughter,"

which Lamb offered to Mathews for the Adelphi. As I have said, this farce was never acted.]

LETTER 463

CHARLES LAMB TO CHARLES COWDEN CLARKE

[Enfield, October, 1828.]

Dear Clarke,--We did expect to see you with Victoria and the Novellos before this, and do not quite understand why we have not. Mrs. N. and V.

[Vincent] promised us after the York expedition; a day being named before, which fail'd. 'Tis not too late. The autumn leaves drop gold, and Enfield is beautifuller--to a common eye--than when you lurked at the Greyhound. Bened.i.c.ks are close, but how I so totally missed you at that time, going for my morning cup of ale duly, is a mystery. 'Twas stealing a match before one's face in earnest. But certainly we had not a dream of your appropinquity. I instantly prepared an Epithalamium, in the form of a Sonata--which I was sending to Novello to compose--but Mary forbid it me, as too light for the occasion--as if the subject required anything heavy-- so in a tiff with her I sent no congratulation at all. Tho' I promise you the wedding was very pleasant news to me indeed. Let your reply name a day this next week, when you will come as many as a coach will hold; such a day as we had at Dulwich. My very kindest love and Mary's to Victoria and the Novellos. The enclosed is from a friend nameless, but highish in office, and a man whose accuracy of statement may be relied on with implicit confidence. He wants the _expose_ to appear in a newspaper as the "greatest piece of legal and Parliamentary villainy he ever rememb'd," and he has had experience in both; and thinks it would answer afterwards in a cheap pamphlet printed at Lambeth in 8'o sheet, as 16,000 families in that parish are interested. I know not whether the present _Examiner_ keeps up the character of exposing abuses, for I scarce see a paper now. If so, you may ascertain Mr. Hunt of the strictest truth of the statement, at the peril of my head. But if this won't do, transmit it me back, I beg, per coach, or better, bring it with you. Yours unaltered, C. LAMB.

[Clarke had married Mary Victoria Novello on July 5, 1828, and they had spent their honeymoon at the Greyhound, Enfield, unknown to the Lambs.

See the next letter.

"The enclosed." This has vanished. Hunt was Leigh Hunt.]

LETTER 464

CHARLES LAMB TO VINCENT NOVELLO

[Enfield, November 6, 1828.]

My dear Novello,--I am afraid I shall appear rather tardy in offering my congratulations, however sincere, upon your daughter's marriage. The truth is, I had put together a little Serenata upon the occasion, but was prevented from sending it by my sister, to whose judgment I am apt to defer too much in these kind of things; so that, now I have her consent, the offering, I am afraid, will have lost the grace of seasonableness. Such as it is, I send it. She thinks it a little too old-fas.h.i.+oned in the manner, too much like what they wrote a century back. But I cannot write in the modern style, if I try ever so hard. I have attended to the proper divisions for the music, and you will have little difficulty in composing it. If I may advise, make Pepusch your model, or Blow. It will be necessary to have a good second voice, as the stress of the melody lies there:--

SERENATA, FOR TWO VOICES,

_On the Marriage of Charles Cowden Clarke, Esqre., to Victoria, eldest daughter of Vincent Novello, Esqre._

DUETTO

Wake th' harmonious voice and string, Love and Hymen's triumph sing, Sounds with secret charms combining, In melodious union joining, Best the wondrous joys can tell, That in hearts united dwell.

RECITATIVE

_First Voice_.--To young Victoria's happy fame Well may the Arts a trophy raise, Music grows sweeter in her praise.

And, own'd by her, with rapture speaks her name.

To touch the brave Cowdenio's heart, The Graces all in her conspire; Love arms her with his surest dart, Apollo with his lyre.

AIR

The list'ning Muses all around her Think 'tis Phoebus' strain they hear; And Cupid, drawing near to wound her, Drops his bow, and stands to hear.

RECITATIVE

_Second Voice_.--While crowds of rivals with despair Silent admire, or vainly court the Fair, Behold the happy conquest of her eyes, A Hero is the glorious prize!

In courts, in camps, thro' distant realms renown'd, Cowdenio comes!--Victoria, see, He comes with British honour crown'd, Love leads his eager steps to thee.

AIR

In tender sighs he silence breaks, The Fair his flame approves, Consenting blushes warm her cheeks, She smiles, she yields, she loves.

RECITATIVE

_First Voice_.--Now Hymen at the altar stands, And while he joins their faithful hands, Behold! by ardent vows brought down, Immortal Concord, heavenly bright, Array'd in robes of purest light, Descends, th' auspicious rites to crown.

Her golden harp the G.o.ddess brings; Its magic sound Commands a sudden silence all around, And strains prophetic thus attune the strings.

DUETTO

_First Voice_.-- The Swain his Nymph possessing, _Second Voice_.-- The Nymph her swain caressing, _First and Second_.-- Shall still improve the blessing, For ever kind and true.

_Both_.-- While rolling years are flying, Love, Hymen's lamp supplying, With fuel never dying, Shall still the flame renew.

To so great a master as yourself I have no need to suggest that the peculiar tone of the composition demands sprightliness, occasionally checked by tenderness, as in the second air,--

She smiles,--she yields,--she loves.

Again, you need not be told that each fifth line of the two first recitatives requires a crescendo.