燃文小说网

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

LETTER 168（第1页）

一秒记住【xiaoyanwenxue.com】精彩无弹窗免费！“TheWorksofCharlesandMaryLamb—Volume5（.shg.tw）”！

LETTER168

CHARLESLAMBTOTHOMASMANNING

[Datedatend:26February，1808.]

DearMissionary，—Yourlettersfromthefarthestendsoftheworldhavearrivedsafe.Maryisverythankfulforyourremembranceofher，andwiththelesssuspicionofmercenariness，asthesilk，thesymbolummaterialeofyourfriendship，hasnotyetappeared.IthinkHoracesayssomewhere，noxlonga.Iwouldnotimputenegligenceorunhandsomedelaystoapersonwhomyouhavehonouredwithyourconfidence;butIhavenotheardofthesilk，orofMr.Knox，savebyyourletter.Maybeheexpectsthefirstadvances!oritmaybethathehasnotsucceededingettingthearticleonshore，foritisamongtheresprohibitaeetnonnisismuggle-ationisviáfruendae.Butsoitis，inthefriendshipsbetweenwickedmen，theveryexpressionsoftheirgood-willcannotbutbesinful.Splendidavitiaatbest.Stay，whileIrememberit—Mrs.Holcroftwassafelydeliveredofagirlsomedayinlastweek.Motherandchilddoingwell.Mr.HolcrofthasbeenattackdwithsevererheumatisTheyhavemovedtoClipstoneStreet.Isupposeyouknowmyfarcewasdamned.Thenoisestillringsinmyears.Wasyoueverinthepillory?—beingdamnedissomethinglikethat.GodwinkeepsashopinSkinnerStreet，SnowHill，heisturnedchildrensbookseller，andsellspenny，twopenny，threepenny，andfourpennybooks.SometimeshegetsanorderforthedearersortofBooks.（Mind，allthatItellyouinthisletteristrue.）AtreatyofmarriageisonfootbetweenWilliamHazlittandMissStoddart.Somethingaboutsettlementsonlyretardsit.Shehassomewhereabout￡80ayear，tobe￡120whenhermotherdies.HehasnosettlementexceptwhathecanclaimfromtheParish.PauperestCinna，sedamat.Thethingisthereforeinabeyance.Butthereisloveobothsides.LittleFenwick（youdontseetheconnexionofideashere，howthedevilshouldyou?）isintherulesoftheFleet.Cruelcreditors!operationofiniquitouslaws!isMagnaChartathenamockery?Why，ingeneral（hereIsupposeyoutoaskaquestion）myspiritsareprettygood，butIhavemydepressions，blackasasmithsbeard，Vulcanic，Stygian.AtsuchtimesIhaverecoursetoapipe，whichislikenotbeingathometoadun;heesagainwithtenfoldbitternessthenextday.—（Mind，Iamnotindebt，Ionlyborrowasimilitudefromothers;itshowsimagination.）Ihavedonetwobookssincethefailureofmyfarce;theywillbothbeoutthissummer.Theoneisajuvenilebook—"TheAdventuresofUlysses，"intendedtobeanintroductiontothereadingofTelemachus!ItisdoneoutoftheOdyssey，notfromtheGreek:Iwouldnotmisleadyou;noryetfromPopesOdyssey，butfromanoldertranslationofoneChapman.The"ShakespearTales"suggestedthedoingit.Godwinisinboththosecasesmybookseller.TheotherisdoneforLongman，andis"SpecimensofEnglishDramaticPoetscontemporarywithShakespear."Specimensarebeingfashionable.Wehave—"SpecimensofAncientEnglishPoets，""SpecimensofModernEnglishPoets，""SpecimensofAncientEnglishProseWriters，"withoutend.Theyusedtobecalled"Beauties."Youhaveseen"BeautiesofShakespear?"sohavemanypeoplethatneversawanybeautiesinShakespear.Longmanistoprintit，andbeatalltheexpenseandrisk;andIamtosharetheprofitsafteralldeductions;i.e.ayearortwohenceImustpocketwhattheypleasetotellmeisduetome.ButthebookissuchasIamgladthereshouldbe.ItisdoneoutofoldplaysattheMuseumandoutofDodsleyscollection，&c.Itistohavenotes.SoIgocreepingonsinceIwaslamedwiththatcursedfallfromoffthetopofDrury-LaneTheatreintothepit，somethingmorethanayearago.However，Ihavebeenfreeofthehouseeversince，andthehousewasprettyfreewithmeuponthatoccasion.Damnem，howtheyhissed!

Itwasnotahissneither，butasortofafranticyell，likeacongregationofmadgeese，withroaringsomethinglikebears，mowsandmopslikeapes，sometimessnakes，thathissdmeintomadness.TwaslikeSt.Anthonystemptations.Mercyonus，thatGodshouldgivehisfavouritechildren，men，mouthstospeakwith，todiscourserationally，topromisesmoothly，toflatteragreeably，toencouragewarmly，tocounselwisely:tosingwith，todrinkwith，andtokisswith:andthattheyshouldturnthemintomouthsofadders，bears，wolves，hyenas，andwhistleliketempests，andemitbreaththroughthemlikedistillationsofaspicpoison，toasperseandvilifytheinnocentlaboursoftheirfellow-creatureswhoaredesiroustopleasethem!Godbepleasedtomakethebreathstinkandtheteethrotoutofthemalltherefore!Makethemareproach，andallthatpassbythemtolollouttheirtongueatthem!Blindmouths!asMiltonsomewherecallstheDoyoulikeBrahamssinging?ThelittleJewhasbewitchedme.IfollowhimlikeastheboysfollowedTomthePiper.Hecuredmeofmelancholy，asDavidcuredSaul;butIdontthrowstonesathim，asSauldidatDavidinpayment.Iwasinsensibletomusictillhegavemeanewsense.O，thatyoucouldgotothenewoperaof"Kais"to-night!TisallaboutEasternmanners;itwouldjustsuityou.ItdescribesthewildArabs，wanderingEgyptians，lyingdervishes，andallthatsortofpeople，toahair.Youneednthagonesofartoseewhatyousee，ifyousawitasIdoeverynightatDrury-laneTheatre.Brahamssinging，whenitisimpassioned，isfinerthanMrs.SiddonssorMr.Kemblesacting;andwhenitisnotimpassioned，itisasgoodashearingapersonoffinesensetalking.ThebravelittleJew!OldSergeantHillisdead.Mrs.Rickmanisinthefamilyway.ItisthoughtthatHazlittwillhavechildren，ifhemarriesMissStoddart.Imadeapuntheotherday，andpalmedituponHolcroft，whogrinnedlikeaCheshirecat.（WhydocatsgrininCheshire?—Becauseitwasonceacountypalatineandthecatscannothelplaughingwhenevertheythinkofit，thoughIseenogreatjokeinit.）IsaidthatHolcroftsaid，beingaskedwhowerethebestdramaticwritersoftheday，"HOOKANDI."Mr.Hookisauthorofseveralpieces，"Tekeli，"&c.Youknowwhathooksandeyesare，dontyou?Theyarewhatlittleboysdouptheirbreecheswith.Yourletterhadmanythingsinithardtobeunderstood:thepunswerereadyandSwift-like;butdontyoubegintobemelancholyinthemidstofEasterncustoms!"Theminddoesnoteasilyconformtoforeignusages，evenintrifles:itrequiressomethingthatithasbeenfamiliarwith."ThatbeginsoneofDr.Hawkesworthspapersinthe"Adventurer，"andis，Ithink，assensiblearemarkaseverfellfromtheDoctorsmouth.DoyouknowWatfordinHertfordshire?itisaprettyvillage.Louisagoestoschoolthere.Theysaythegovernessisaveryintelligentmanagingperson，takescareofthemoralsofthepupils，teachesthemsomethingbeyondexteriors.PoorMrs.Beaumont!Rickmansaunt，shemighthavebeenagoverness（asbothherniecesate）ifshehadanyabilityoranyeducation，butIneverthoughtshewasgoodforanything;sheisdeadandsoishernephew.HewasshotinhalfatMonteVideo，thatis，notexactlyinhalf，butasyouhaveseena3quarterpicture.StoddartisinEngland.WhiteisatChristsHospital，awitofthefirstmagnitude，buthadratherbethoughtagentleman，likeCongreve.YouknowCongrevesrepulsewhichhegavetoVoltaire，whenhecametovisithimasaliteraryman，thathewishedtobeconsideredonlyinthelightofaprivategentleman.IthinktheimpertinentFrenchmanwasproperlyanswered.IshouldjustserveanymemberoftheFrenchinstituteinthesamemanner，thatwishedtobeintroducedtome.Bonapartehasvoted5，000livrestoDavy，thegreatyoungEnglishchemist;butithasnotarrived.

ColeridgehasdeliveredtwolecturesattheRoyalInstitution;twomorewereattended，buthedidnote.ItisthoughthehasgonesickupontheHeantwell，thatscertain.WordsworthisingtoseehiHesitsupinatwopairofstairsroomatthe"Courier"Office，andreceivesvisitorsonhisclosestool.HowisMr.Ball?HehassentforaprospectusoftheLondonLibrary.

DoesanyonereadatCanton?LordMoiraisPresidentoftheWestminsterLibrary.IsupposeyoumighthaveinterestwithSirJosephBankstogettobepresidentofanysimiliarinstitutionthatshouldbesetupatCanton.Ithinkpublicreading-roomsthebestmodeofeducatingyoungmen.Solitaryreadingisapttogivetheheadache.Besides，whoknowsthatyoudoread?TherearetenthousandinstitutionssimilartotheRoyalInstitution，whichhavesprungupfromit.ThereistheLondonInstitution，theSouthwarkInstitution，theRussellSquareRoomsInstitution，&c.—CollegequasiConlege，aplacewherepeoplereadtogether.Wordsworth，thegreatpoet，isingtotown;heistohaveapartmentsintheMansionHouse.HesayshedoesnotseemuchdifficultyinwritinglikeShakspeare，ifhehadamindtotryit.Itisclearthennothingiswantingbutthemind.EvenColeridgealittlecheckedatthishardihoodofassertion.JonesofTrinity，Isupposeyouknowheisdead.Dyercametometheothereveningat11oclock，whentherewasalargeroomfullofpany，whichIusuallygettogetheronaWednesdayevening（allgreatmenhavepublicdays），toproposetometohavemyfacedonebyaMissBeetham（orBetham），aminiaturepainter，somerelationtoMrs.BeethamtheProfilistorPatternManglewomanoppositetoSt.Dunstans，toputbeforemybookofExtracts.Ideclinedit.

Well，mydearManning，talkingcannotbeinfinite;IhavesaidallIhavetosay;therestisbutremembrances，whichweshallbearinourheadsofyou，whilewehaveheads.Hereisapacketoftriflesnothingworth;butitisatriflingpartoftheworldwhereIlive;emptinessabounds.But，infulnessofaffection，weremainyours，

C.L.

[ManninghadwritteninApril，1807，sayingthatarollofsilkwasonitswaytoMaryLamb.Itwas，however，anotherletter，notpreserved，whichmentionedMr.Knoxasthebearer.

Godwinsoldbooksat41SkinnerStreetunderhiswifesname—M.J.Godwin.Atfirstwhenhebegan，in1805，inHanwayStreet，hehadusedthenameofThomasHodgkins，hismanager.

"Damnem，howtheyhissed."ThispassagehasinitthegermofLambsessayinTheReflectortwoorthreeyearslater，"OntheCustomofHissingattheTheatres"（seeVol.I.）.

JohnBraham（?1774-1856），thegreattenorandtheposerof"TheDeathofNelson."LambpraisedhimagaininhisEliaessay"ImperfectSympathies，"andlaterwroteanamusingarticleonBrahamsrecantationofHebraism（see"TheReligionofActors，"Vol.I.）."Kais，"posedbyBrahamandReeve，wasproducedatDruryLane，February11，1808.

"OldSergeantHill."GeorgeHill（1716-1808），nicknamedSerjeant

Labyrinth，theheroofmanystoriesofabsence-of-mind.Hewouldhave

appealedtoManningonaccountofhismathematicalabilities.Hediedon

February21.

"HookandI."Thispunisattributedalsotoothers;whomayveryeasilyhavemadeitindependently.TheodoreHookwasthenonlynineteen，buthadalreadywritten"Tekeli，"amelodrama，andseveralfarces.Talfourdomitsthereferencestobreeches.

"Dr.Hawkesworth."JohnHawkesworth，LL.D.（?1715-1773），theeditorofSwift，adirectoroftheEastIndiaCompany，andthefriendofJohnsonwhomheimitatedinTheAdventurer.HealsomadeoneofthetranslationsofFénélonsTélémaque，towhichLambsAdventuresofUlysseswastoserveasprologue.

JamesWhite，LambsfriendandtheauthorofFalstaffsLetters，wasformanyyearsaclerkintheTreasurersofficeatChristsHospital.Laterhefoundedanadvertisementagency，whichstillexists.

"Congrevesrepulse."ThestoryistoldbyJohnsonintheLivesofthePoets.Congreve"disgustedhim[Voltaire]bythedespicablefopperyofdesiringtobeconsiderednotasanauthorbutagentleman;towhichtheFrenchmanreplied，that，ifhehadbeenonlyagentleman，heshouldnothaveetovisithi"

"YoungDavy."AfterwardsSirHumphryDavy，andnowoneofColeridgescorrespondents.HehadbeenawardedtheNapoleonprizeof3，000francs"forhisdiscoveriesannouncedinthePhilosophicalTransactionsfortheyear1807."

"Coleridgeslectures."ColeridgedeliveredthefirstonJanuary12，1808，andthesecondonFebruary5.ThethirdandfourthwereeventuallydeliveredsometimebeforeApril3.ThesubjectwasnotTastebutPoetry.ColeridgesroomsoverTheCourierofficeatNo.348StrandaredescribedbyDeQuinceyinhisWorks，Vol.II.（1863edition），page98.

ItwasColeridgesillnessthatwasbringingWordsworthtotown，tobefollowedbySouthey，largelybytheinstrumentalityofCharlesandMaryLamb.ItisconjecturedthatColeridgewasjustthenmorethanusuallyinthepowerofdrugs.

SirJosephBanks，asPresidentoftheRoyalSociety，hadwrittenalettertotheEastIndiaCompanysupportingManningswishtopractiseasadoctorinCanton.

ThesimilarinstitutionsthatsprangupinimitationoftheRoyal

Institutionhaveallvanished，excepttheLondonInstitutioninFinsbury

Circus.

"WritinglikeShakspeare."ThispassagewasomittedbyTalfourd.HeseemstohaveshownittoCrabbRobinson，justafterLambsdeath，asoneofthethingsthatcouldnotbepublished.Robinson（orRobinsonseditor，Dr.Sadler），inrecordingtheevent，substitutesadashforWordsworthsname.

MissBethamwasMissMaryMatildaBetham（1776-1852），afterwardsacorrespondentofLamb.Weshallsoonmeetheragain.ShehadwrittenaBiographicalDictionaryoftheCelebratedWomenofEveryAgeandCountry，1804，andsomepoems.AmonghersitterswereColeridgeandMrs.Coleridge.TheProfilistoppositeSt.Dunstanswas，Itakeit，E.Beetham，PatentWashing-MillMakerat27FleetStreet.Ifindthisinthe1808Directory.TheshopwasclosetoInnerTempleLane.

[TwoundatedletterstoMissBethamfollow，whichmaywellbelongtothistime.Mr.ErnestBethamallowsmetotakethemfromhisbook，AHouseofLetters.]

你不努力，没人能给你想要的生活  爷，王妃她恃宠而骄！  道家天师  反派她扛起了收视率  离婚后我在豪门乘风破浪  豪门团宠：哥哥们又扒我马甲  重生雄豪万雄李子晴  我体内有仙府  狼狈离婚两年后霸气回归蓝思恩墨琰  快穿：干饭大佬在线虐渣  夜明笙歌  偏执总裁的罪妻  异界大佬都市纵横  祖一南音美  我在末世捡美女  全能贵妃：娱乐圈团宠女神  带着系统回大唐  六皇子东方羽东方羽罗嫔妃  都市医武战神  重生之完美时代