The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb Volume VI Part 85

Come down with M. and _Dante_ and L.E.L. on Sunday.

ELIA.

I don't mean at his House, but the Atheneum office. Send it there. Hand shakes.

[The Plantas would probably be a reference to the family of Joseph Plantas of the British Museum. M. and Dante and L.E.L. would be Moxon, Cary and Let.i.tia Landon, the poetess, to whom Forster was for a while engaged.

This letter, up to a certain point, was repeated as follows. It also is at South Kensington:--]

LETTER 557

CHARLES LAMB TO JOHN FORSTER

[No date.]

I wish youd go to Dilke's, or let Mockson, and ax him to add this to what I sent him a few days since, or to continue it the week after. The Plantas &c. are capital. Come down with Procter and Dante on Sunday. I send you the last proof--not of my friendship. I knew you would like the t.i.tle. I do thoroughly. The Last Essays of Elia keeps out any notion of its being a second volume.

LETTER 558

CHARLES LAMB TO JOHN FORSTER

[No date.]

There was a talk of Richmond on Sunday but we were hampered with an unavoidable engagement that day, besides that I wish to show it you when the woods are in full leaf. Can you have a quiet evening here to night or tomorrow night? We are certainly at home.

Yours C. LAMB.

Friday.

LETTER 559

CHARLES LAMB TO EDWARD MOXON

[P.M. Jan. 24, 1833.]

Dear Murray! _Moxon_ I mean.--I am not to be making you pay postage every day, but cannot let pa.s.s the congratulations of sister, brother, and "Silk Cloak," _all most cordial_ on your change of place. Rogers approving, who can demur? Tell me when you get into Dover St. and what the _No_. is--that I may change foolscap for gilt, and plain Mr. for Esqr. I shall _Mister_ you while you stay--

If you are not too great to attend to it, I wish us to do without the Sonnets of Sydney: 12 will take up as many pages, and be too palpable a fill up. Perhaps we may leave them out, retaining the article, but that is not worth saving. I hope you liked my Cervantes Article which I sent you yesterday.

Not an inapt quotation, for your fallen predecessor in Albemarle Street, to whom you must give the _coup du main_--

Murray, long enough his country's pride.

_Pope._

[_Then, written at the bottom of the page_] there's [_and written on the next page_] there's nothing over here.

[Moxon was moving from 64 New Bond Street to 33 Dover Street.

"Silk Cloak" would, I imagine, probably be a name for Emma Isola.

"The Sonnets of Sydney"--Lamb's _Elia_ essay on this subject. It was not omitted from the _Last Essay_, which Moxon was to publish, and eleven sonnets were quoted.

"Your fallen predecessor." It is hardly needful to say that Moxon made very little difference to Murray's business. The line is from Pope's Sixth Epistle of the First Book of Horace. To Mr. Murray, who afterwards was Earl of Mansfield.]

LETTER 560

CHARLES LAMB TO EDWARD MOXON

[Feb. 10. P.M. Feby. 11, 1833.]

I wish you would omit "by the author of Elia," _now_, in advertising that d.a.m.n'd "Devil's Wedding."

I had sneaking hopes you would have dropt in today--tis my poor birthday. Don't stay away so. Give Forster a hint--you are to bring your brother some day--_sisters_ in better weather.

Pray give me one line to say if you receiv'd and forwarded Emma's pacquet to Miss Adams,

and how Dover St. looks.

Adieu.

Is there no Blackwood this month?

[_Added on cover_:--]

What separation will there be between the friend's preface, and THE ESSAYS? Should not "Last Essays &c." head them? If 'tis too late, don't mind. I don't care a farthing about it.

["What separation"--the _Last Essays of Elia_ were preceded by "A Character of the Late Elia."

Here should come a letter from Lamb to Louisa Badams, dated February 15, 1833. Lamb begins with a further reference to the Enfield murder. He says that his sister and himself have got through the _Inferno_ with the help of Cary, and Mary is beginning Ta.s.so.]

LETTER 561

CHARLES LAMB TO EDWARD MOXON