LETTER260

letter260

charleslambtodorothywordsworth(incomplete)

[may25,1820.]

dearmissw.—therecanbenonetowhomthelastvolumeofw.w.hascomemorewelcomethantome.ihavetracedtheduddoninthoughtandwithrepetitionalongthebanks(alas!)ofthelea—(unpoeticalname);itisalwaysflowingandmurmuringanddashinginmyears.thestoryofdionisdivine—thegeniusofplatofallingonhimlikemoonlight—thefinestthingeverexpressed.thenthereiselidureandkirkstonepass—thelastnotnewtome—andletmeaddoneofthesweetestofthemalltome,thelongestday.lovingalltheseasmuchasicanlovepoetrynewtome,whatcouldiwishordesiremoreorextravagantlyinanewvolume?thatididnotwritetow.w.wassimplythathewastocomesosoon,andthatflattensletters….

yours,

c.l.

[iprintfromprofessorknight'stext,inhislifeofwordsworth.canonaingersuppliesomissions—areferencetomartinburney'sblackeye.

thewordsworthswereintownthissummer,toattendtheweddingofthomasmonkhouseandmisshorrocks.weknowfromcrabbrobinson'sdiarythattheywereatlamb'sonjune2:"notmuchwassaidabouthis[w.w.'s]newvolumeofpoems.buthehimselfspokeofthe'brownie'scell'ashisfavourite."thenewvolumewastheriverduddon,aseriesofsonnets,…1820."thelongestday"begins:—

letusquittheleafyarbour.

betweenthisletterandthenextlambwroteandsentoffhisfirstcontributiontothelondonmagazineoverthesignatureelia—"thesouth-seahouse,"whichwasprintedinthenumberforaugust,1820.]