LETTER37

letter37

charleslambtorobertsouthey

nov.3,1798.

ihavereadyoureclogue["thewedding"]repeatedly,andcannotcallitbald,orwithoutinterest;thecastofit,andthedesignarecompletelyoriginal,andmaysetpeopleuponthinking:itisaspoeticalasthesubjectrequires,whichasksnopoetry;butitisdefectiveinpathos.thewoman'sownstoryisthetamestpartofit—ishouldlikeyoutoremouldthat—ittoomuchresemblestheyoungmaid'shistory:bothhadbeeninservice.eventheomissionwouldnotinjurethepoem;afterthewords"growingwants,"youmight,notunconnectedly,introduce"lookatthatlittlechub"downto"welcomeone."and,decidedly,iwouldhaveyouenditsomehowthus,

"givethematleastthiseveningagoodmeal.

giveshermoney.

now,faretheewell;hereafteryouhavetaughtme

togivesadmeaningtothevillage-bells,"&c.,

whichwouldleaveastrongerimpression(aswellasmorepleasinglyrecallthebeginningoftheeclogue),thanthepresentcommon-placereferencetoabetterworld,whichthewoman"musthaveheardatchurch."ishouldlikeyou,too,agooddealtoenlargethemoststrikingpart,asitmighthavebeen,ofthepoem—"isitidleness?"&c.,thataffordsagoodfieldfordwellingonsicknessandinabilities,andoldage.andyoumightalsoagooddealenrichthepiecewithapictureofacountrywedding:thewomanmightverywell,inatransientfitofoblivion,dwellupontheceremonyandcircumstancesofherownnuptialssixyearsago,thesmugnessofthebride-groom,thefeastings,thecheapmerriment,thewelcomings,andthesecretenvyingsofthemaidens—thendroppingallthis,recurtoherpresentlot.idonotknowthaticanestanythingelse,orthatihaveestedanythingnewormaterial.

ishallbeverygladtoseesomemorepoetry,thoughifearyourtroubleintranscribingwillbegreaterthantheservicemyremarksmaydothem.

yoursaffectionately,

c.lamb.

icutmylettershortbecauseiamcalledofftobusiness.