The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb Volume VI Part 79

"The Sugdens." I do not identify these friends.

"2d vol. Elias." This would refer, I think, to the American volume, published without authority, in 1828, under the t.i.tle _Elia; or, Second Series_, which Lamb told N.P. Willis he liked. It contained three pieces not by Lamb; the rest made up from the _Works_ and the _London Magazine_ (see Vol. II., notes).]

LETTER 534

CHARLES LAMB TO EDWARD MOXON

Pray forward the enclosed, or put it in the post.

[No date. Early August, 1831.]

Dear M.--The _R.A_. here memorised was George Dawe, whom I knew well and heard many anecdotes of, from DANIELS and WESTALL, at H. Rogers's--_to each of them_ it will be well to send a Mag. in my name. It will fly like wild fire among the R. Academicians and artists. Could you get hold of Proctor--his chambers are in Lincoln's Inn at Montagu's--or of Ja.n.u.s Weatherc.o.c.k?--both of their _prose_ is capital. Don't encourage poetry.

The Peter's Net does not intend funny things only. All is fish. And leave out the sickening Elia at the end. Then it may comprise letters and characters addrest to Peter--but a signature forces it to be all characteristic of the one man Elia, or the one man Peter, which cramped me formerly. I have agreed _not_ for my sister to know the subjects I chuse till the Mag. comes out; so beware of speaking of 'em, or writing about 'em, save generally. Be particular about this warning. Can't you drop in some afternoon, and take a bed?

The _Athenaeum_ has been hoaxed with some exquisite poetry that was 2 or 3 months ago in Hone's Book. I like your 1st No. capitally. But is it not small? Come and see us, week day if possible. C.L.

[Moxon had just acquired _The Englishman's Magazine_ and Lamb contributed to the September number his "Recollections of a Late Royal Academician," George Dawe (see Vol. I. of this edition), under the general t.i.tle "Peter's Net." Daniels may have been Thomas or William Daniell, both landscape painters. Westall may have been Richard Westall, the historical painter, or William Westall, the topographical painter.

H. Rogers was Henry Rogers, brother of the poet.

"The _Athenaeum_ has been hoaxed." The exquisite poetry was FitzGerald's "Meadows in Spring" (see next letter).]

LETTER 535

CHARLES LAMB TO EDWARD MOXON

[P.M. Aug. 5, 1831.]

Send, or bring me, Hone's No. for August.

Hunt is a fool, and his critics----The anecdotes of E. and of G.D. are substantially true. What does Elia (or Peter) care for dates?

That _is_ the poem I mean. I do not know who wrote it, but is in Hone's book as far back as April.

Tis a poem I envy--_that_ & Montgomery's Last Man (nothing else of his).

I envy the writers, because I feel I could have done something like it.

S---- is a c.o.xcomb. W---- is a ---- & a great Poet. L.

[Hone was now editing his _Year Book_. Under the date April 30 had appeared Edward FitzGerald's poem, "The Meadows in Spring," with the following introduction:--

These verses are in the old style; rather homely in expression; but I honestly profess to stick more to the simplicity of the old poets than the moderns, and to love the philosophical good humor of our old writers more than the sickly melancholy of the Byronian wits. If my verses be not good, they are good humored, and that is something.

The editor of _The Athenaeum_, in reprinting the poem, suggested delicately that it was by Lamb. There is no such poem by James Montgomery as "The Last Man." Campbell wrote a "Last Man," and so did Hood, but I agree with Canon Ainger that what Lamb meant was Montgomery's "Common Lot." I give the two poems in the Appendix as ill.u.s.trations of what Lamb envied.

"Hunt is a fool." In _The Tatler_ for August 1 Leigh Hunt had quoted much of Lamb's essay on Elliston. I do not, however, find any adverse criticism.

"E. and G.D." Lamb had written in the August number of _The Englishman's Magazine_ his "Reminiscences of Elliston." Lamb's article on George Dawe did not appear till the September number, but perhaps Moxon already had the copy.]

LETTER 536

CHARLES LAMB TO EDWARD MOXON

[P.M. Sept. 5, 1831.]

Dear M., Your Letter's contents pleased me. I am only afraid of taxing you, yet I want a stimulus, or I think I should drag sadly. I shall keep the monies in trust till I see you fairly over the next 1 January. Then I shall look upon 'em as earned. Colburn shall be written to. No part of yours gave me more pleasure (no, not the ,10, tho' you may grin) than that you will revisit old Enfield, which I hope will be always a pleasant idea to you.

Yours very faithfully

C.L.

[The letter's contents was presumably payment for Lamb's contribution to _The Englishman's Magazine_.]

LETTER 537

CHARLES LAMB TO WILLIAM HAZLITT, JR.

[P.M. Sept. 13, 1831.]

Dear Wm--We have a sick house, Mrs. Westw'ds daughter in a fever, & Grandaughter in the meazles, & it is better to see no company just now, but in a week or two we shall be very glad to see you; come at a hazard then, on a week day if you can, because Sundays are stuffd up with friends on both parts of this great ill-mix'd family. Your second letter, dated 3d Sept'r, came not till Sund'y & we staid at home in even'g in expectation of seeing you. I have turned & twisted what you ask'd me to do in my head, & am obliged to say I can not undertake it--but as a composition for declining it, will you accept some verses which I meditate to be addrest to you on your father, & prefixable to your Life? Write me word that I may have 'em ready against I see you some 10 days hence, when I calculate the House will be uninfected. Send your mother's address.

If you are likely to be again at Cheshunt before that time, on second thoughts, drop in here, & consult--

Yours,

C.L.

Not a line is yet written--so say, if I shall do 'em.

[This is the only letter extant to the younger Hazlitt, who was then nearly twenty. William Hazlitt, the essayist, had died September 18, 1830. Lamb was at his bedside. The memoir of him, by his son, was prefixed to the _Literary Remains_ in 1836, but no verses by Lamb accompanied it. When this letter was last sold at Sotheby's in June, 1902, a copy of verses was attached beginning--

There lives at Winterslow a man of such Rare talents and deep learning ...

in the handwriting of William Hazlitt. They bear more traces of being Mary Lamb's work than her brother's.]

LETTER 538