The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb Volume V Part 50

"Mrs. Reynolds"--Lamb's old schoolmistress and pensioner. Mrs. Jefferies I do not know.]

LETTER 118

CHARLES LAMB TO S. T. COLERIDGE

[P.M. April 4, 1804.]

Mary would send her best love, but I write at office.

Thursday [April 5].

The 1 came safe.

My dear C.--I but just received your commission-abounding letter. All shall be done. Make your European heart easy in Malta, all shall be performed. You say I am to transcribe off part of your letters and send to X somebody (but the name is lost under the wafer, so you must give it me)--I suppose Wordsw'th.

I have been out of town since Sat.u.r.day, the reason I had not your letter before. N.B. N.B. Knowing I had 2 or 3 Easter holydays, it was my intention to have ask'd you if my accompanying you to Portsm'th would have been pleasant. But you were not visible, except just at the critical moment of going off from the Inn, at which time I could not get at you. So Deus aliter disposuit, and I went down into Hertfordshire.

I write in great bustle indeed--G.o.d bless you again. Attend to what I have written mark'd X above, and don't merge any part of your Orders under seal again.

C. LAMB.

[Addressed to "S. T. Coleridge, Esq'r., J. C. Mottley's, Esq'r., Portsmouth, Hants."

Coleridge had left London for Portsmouth on March 27; he sailed for Malta on April 9.]

LETTER 119

CHARLES LAMB TO THOMAS POOLE

[Dated at end: Temple, 4th May, 1804.]

Dear Sir--I have no sort of connexion with the Morning Post at present, nor acquaintance with its late Editor (the present Editor of the Courier) to ask a favour of him with propriety; but if it will be of any use, I believe I could get the insertions into the British Press (a Morning Paper) through a friend.--

Yours truly C. LAMB.

LETTER 120

CHARLES LAMB TO THOMAS POOLE

[Dated at end: Temple, 5 May, 1804.]

Dear Sir--I can get the insertions into the British Press without any difficulty at all. I am only sorry that I have no interest in the M.

Post, having so much greater circulation. If your friend chuses it, you will be so good as to return me the Critique, of which I forgot to take a copy, and I suppose on Monday or Tuesday it will be in. The sooner I have it, the better.

Yours &c.

C. LAMB.

I did formerly a.s.sist in the Post, but have no longer any engagement.--

[Stuart, having sold the _Morning Post_, was now developing the _Courier_. The notes are interesting only as showing Lamb's att.i.tude to Stuart. Writing to the _Gentleman's Magazine_ in June, 1838, concerning his a.s.sociation as editor with Coleridge, Stuart said: "But as for good Charles Lamb, I never could make any-thing of his writings. Coleridge often and repeatedly pressed me to settle him on a salary, and often and repeatedly did I try; but it would not do. Of politics he knew nothing; they were out of his line of reading and thought; and his drollery was vapid, when given in short paragraphs fit for a newspaper: yet he has produced some agreeable books, possessing a tone of humour and kind feeling, in a quaint style, which it is amusing to read, and cheering to remember."]

LETTER 121

CHARLES LAMB TO DOROTHY WORDSWORTH

[Dated at end: June 2, 1804.]

Dear Miss Wordsworth, the task of letter-writing in my family falls to me; you are the organ of correspondence in yours, so I address you rather than your brother. We are all sensibly obliged to you for the little sc.r.a.ps (Arthur's Bower and his brethren) which you sent up; the bookseller has got them and paid Mrs. Fenwick for them. So while some are authors for fame, some for money, you have commenced author for charity. The least we can do, is to see your commissions fulfilled; accordingly I have booked this 2d June 1804 from the Waggon Inn in Cripplegate the watch and books which I got from your brother Richard, together with Purchas's Pilgrimage and Brown's Religio Medici which I desire your brother's acceptance of, with some _pens_, of which I observed no great frequency when I tarried at Grasmere. (I suppose you have got Coleridge's letter)--These things I have put up in a deal box directed to Mr. Wordsworth, Grasmere, near Ambleside, Kendal, by the Kendal waggon. At the same time I have sent off a parcel by C.'s desire to Mr. T. Hutchinson to the care of Mr. "T. Monkhouse, or T. Markhouse"

(for C.'s writing is not very plain) Penrith, by the Penrith waggon this day; which I beg you to apprize them of, lest my direction fail. In your box, you will find a little parcel for Mrs. Coleridge, which she wants as soon as possible; also for yourselves the Cotton, Magnesia, bark and Oil, which come to 2. 3. 4. thus.

sh.

Thread and needles 17 Magnesia 8 bark 9. 8 Oil 8. 8 -------- 2. 3. 4 packing case 2. 6 ------ 2. 5.10 deduct a guinea I owe you, which C. was to pay, 1. 1. - but did not ------ leaves you indebted 1. 4.10

whereby you may see how punctual I am.

I conclude with our kindest remembrances to your brother and Mrs. W.

We hear, the young John is a Giant.

And should you see Charles Lloyd, pray _forget_ to give my love to him.

Yours truly, D'r Miss W.

C. LAMB.

June 2, 1804.

I send you two little copies of verses by Mary L--b:--

DIALOGUE BETWEEN A MOTHER AND CHILD

_Child_.

(_Sings_) "O Lady, lay your costly robes aside, No longer may you glory in your pride."

_Mother_.