LETTER42

letter42

charleslambtorobertsouthey

jan.21st,1799.

iamrequestedbylloydtoexcusehisnotreplyingtoakindletterreceivedfromyou.heisatpresentsituatedinmostdistressfulfamilyperplexities,whichiamnotatlibertytoexplain;buttheyaresuchastodemandallthestrengthofhismind,andquiteexcludeanyattentiontoforeignobjects.hisbrotherrobert(theflowerofhisfamily)hathelopedfromthepersecutionsofhisfather,andhastakenshelterwithme.whattheissueofhisadventurewillbe,iknownot.hehaththesweetnessofanangelinhisheart,combinedwithadmirablefirmnessofpurpose:anuncultivated,butveryoriginal,and,ithink,superiorgenius.butthisstepofhisisbutasmallpartoftheirfamilytroubles.

iamtoblamefornotwritingtoyoubeforeonmyownaccount;butiknowyoucandispensewiththeexpressionsofgratitude,orishouldhavethankedyoubeforeforallmay'skindness.hehasliberallysuppliedthepersonispoketoyouofwithmoney,andhadprocuredhimasituationjustafterhimselfhadlighteduponasimilaroneandengagedtoofartorecede.butmay'skindnesswasthesame,andmythankstoyouandhimarethesame.maywentaboutonthisbusinessasifithadbeenhisown.butyouknewjohnmaybeforethis:soiwillbesilent.

ishallbeverygladtohearfromyouwhenconvenient.idonotknowhowyourcalendarandotheraffairsthrive;but,aboveall,ihavenotheardagreatwhileofyour"madoc"—theopusmagnum.iwouldwillinglysendyousomethingtogiveavaluetothisletter;butihaveonlyoneslightpassagetosendyou,scarceworththesending,whichiwanttoedgeinsomewhereintomyplay,which,bytheway,hathnotreceivedtheadditionoftenlines,besides,sinceisawyou.afather,oldwalterwoodvil(thewitch'sprotÉgÉ)relatesthisofhissonjohn,who"foughtinadversearmies,"beingaroyalist,andhisfatheraparliamentaryman:—

"isawhiminthedayofworcesterfight,

whitherhecameattwicesevenyears,

underthedisciplineofthelordfalkland

(hisunclebythemother'sside,

whogavehisyouthfulpoliticsabent

quitefromtheprinciplesofhisfather'shouse;)

theredidiseethisvaliantlambofmars,

thissprigofhonour,thisunbeardedjohn,

thisveteraningreenyears,thissprout,thiswoodvil,

(withdreadlesseaseguidingafire-hotsteed,

whichseem'dtoscornthemanageofaboy),

prickforthwithsuchamirthintothefield,

tominglerivalshipandactsofwar

evenwiththesinewymastersoftheart,—

youwouldhavethoughttheworkofbloodhadbeen

aplay-gamemerely,andtherabidmars

hadputhisharmfulhostilenatureoff,

toinstructrawyouthinimagesofwar,

andpracticeoftheunedgedplayers'foils.

theroughfanaticandblood-practisedsoldiery

seeingsuchhopeandvirtueintheboy,

disclosedtheirrankstolethimpassunhurt,

checkingtheirswords'uncivilinjuries,

aslothtomarthatcuriousworkmanship

ofvalour'sbeautypourtray'dinhisface."

lloydobjectsto"pourtray'dinhisface,"—doyou?iliketheline.

ishallclapthisinsomewhere.ithinkthereisaspiritthroughthelines;perhapsthe7th,8th,and9thowetheirorigintoshakspeare,thoughnoimageisborrowed.

hesaysin"henrythefourth"—

"thisinfanthotspur,

marsinswathingclothes."

[seept.i.,iii.,2,111,112.]

butpraydidlordfalklanddiebeforeworcesterfight?inthatcaseimustmakeboldtounclifysomeothernobleman.

kindloveandrespectstoedith.

c.lamb.

[charleslloyd'sperplexitiesturnedprobablyonceagainonthequestionofhismarriage.howlongrobertlloydwaswithlambwedonotknow;norofwhatnaturewerethe"persecutions"towhichhewassubjected.accordingtotheevidenceatourdisposal,charleslloyd,sen.,wasagoodfather.

southey'smadocwasnotpublisheduntil1805.

thepassagefromtheplaywasnotprintedinjohnwoodvil.this,togetherwith"thedyinglover"aretobefoundonlyinthediscardedversion,printedinthenotestovol.iv.ofthepresentedition.lordfalklandhadbeenkilledatnewburyeightyearsbeforeworcesterfight.lambalteredthenamestoashleyandnaseby,althoughsiranthonycooperwasnotmadelordashleyuntilsixteenyearsafternasebywasfought.]