COMMENDATORYVERSES - The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 4 - Charles Lamb - 其他小说 - 30读书

COMMENDATORYVERSES

commendatoryverses

page61.totheauthorofpoems,publishedunderthenameofbarry

cornwall.

printedinthelondonmagazine,september,1820.

barrycornwallwasthepen-nameofbryanwallerprocter,1787-1874,whoseimpulsetowritepoetrycamelargelyfromlambhimself.inhisdramaticscenes,1819,wasthebeginningofablank-versetreatmentoradaptationoflamb's"rosamundgray."procteraddressedtolambsomeexcellentlines"overaflaskofsherris,"whichwereprintedinthelondonmagazine,1825,andagaininenglishsongs,1832.hismartiancolonna;anitaliantale,waspublishedin1820andhissicilianstorylaterinthesameyear.the"dream"wasprintedindramaticscenes.procterinhisoldagewroteacharmingmemoiroflamb.

page62.tor.s.knowles,esq.

firstprintedinthelondonmagazine,september,1820.byacuriousoversighttheerrorinknowles'sinitialswasrepeatedinthealbumverses,1830,knowles'sfirstnamebeing,ofcourse,james.jamessheridanknowles(1784-1862)hadbeenadoctor,aschoolmaster,anactor,andatravellingelocutionist,beforehetookseriouslytowritingforthestage.hisfirstreallyessfulplaywas"virginius,"writtenforedmundkean,transferredtomacready,andproducedin1820.hisgreatesttriumphwas"thehunchback,"1832.lamb,whometknowlesthroughwilliamhazlitt,ofwem,theessayist'sfather,wroteboththeprologueandepilogueforknowles'splay"thewife,"1833(seepages146-7).

page63.quatrainstotheeditorofthe"every-daybook."

firstprintedinthelondonmagazine,may,1825,andcopiedbyhoneintotheevery-daybookforjuly9ofthesameyear.williamhone(seevol.i.notes),1780-1842,wasabookseller,pamphleteerandantiquary,who,beforehetooktoeditinghisevery-daybookin1825,hadpassedthroughastormycareeronaccountofhiscriticaloutspokennessandwantofordinarypoliticalcaution;andlambdidbynomeansafashionablethingwhenhecommendedhonethuspublicly.theevery-daybook,begunin1825,was,whenpublishedin1826,dedicatedbyhonetocharleslambandhissister."yourdaringtopublishmeyour'friend,'withyour'propername'annexed,"honewrote,"ishallneverforget."

page63.acrostics.

inhismoreleisurelyyears,atislingtonandenfield,lambwroteagreatnumberofacrostics—manymoreprobablythanhavebeenpreserved—ofwhichthese,printedinalbumverses,areallthathecaredtoseeinprint.probablyhefoundhischiefimpulseinemmaisola'sschoolfellowsandfriends,whomusthavebeenveryeagertoobtainintheiralbumsacontributionfromsodistinguishedagentlemanaselia,andwhopassedontheirrequeststhroughhisadopteddaughter.ihavenotbeenabletotracetheidentityofseveralofthem.theladywhodesiredherepitaphwasmrs.williamsinwhosehouseemmaisolawasgoverness.whilethereemmawasseriouslyill,andlambtravelleddowntofornham,insuffolk,in1830,tobringherhome.onreturninghewrotemrs.williamsseveralletters,inoneofwhich,datedgoodfriday,hesaid:—"ibegyoutohaveinsertedinyourcountypapersomethinglikethisadvertisement;'tothenobility,gentry,andothers,aboutbury,—c.lambrespectfullyinformshisfriendsandthepublicingeneral,thatheisleavingoffbusinessintheacrosticline,asheisgoingintoanentirelynewline.rebusesandcharadesdoneasusual,andupontheoldterms.also,epitaphstosuitthememoryofanypersondeceased.'"

mrs.williamsprobablythenestedthatlambshouldwriteherepitaph,forinhisnextletterhesays:—"ihaveventureduponsomelines,whichcombinemyoldacrostictalent(whichyoufirstfoundout)withmynewprofessionofepitaphmonger.asyoudidnotpleasetosay,whenyouwoulddie,ihaveleftablankspaceforthedate.maykindheavenbealongtimeinfillingitup."

onpage48willbefoundsomelinestooneofmrs.williams'daughters.theacrosticonpage65istoanother.thesewouldbothbeemmaisola'spupils.