LETTER258

letter258

marylambtomrs.vincentnovello

newington,monday.

[springof1820.]

mydearfriend,—sinceweheardofyoursadsorrow,youhavebeenperpetuallyinourthoughts;therefore,youmaywellimaginehowwelcomeyourkindremembranceofitmustbe.iknownothowenoughtothankyouforit.youbidmewritealongletter;butmymindissopossessedwiththeideathatyoumustbeoccupiedwithoneonlythought,thatalltrivialmattersseemimpertinent.ihavejustbeenreadingagainmr.hunt'sdeliciousessay;whichiamsuremusthavecomesohometoyourhearts,ishallalwayslovehimforit.ifeelthatitisallthatonecanthink,butwhichnonebuthecouldhavedonesoprettily.mayhelosethememoryofhisownbabiesinseeingthemallgrowoldaroundhim!togetherwiththerecollectionofyourdearbaby,theimageofalittlesisterioncehadcomesasfreshintomymindasifihadseenheraslately.alittlecapwithwhitesatinribbon,grownyellowwithlongkeeping,andalockoflighthair,weretheonlyrelicsleftofher.thesightofthemalwaysbroughtherpretty,fairfacetomyview,thattothisdayiseemtohaveaperfectrecollectionofherfeatures.ilongtoseeyou,andihopetodosoontuesdayorwednesdayinnextweek.percystreet!ilovetowritetheword;whatcomfortableideasitbringswithit!wehavebeenpleasingourselveseversinceweheardthispieceofunexpectedgoodnewswiththeanticipationoffrequentdrop-invisits,andallthesocialcomfortofwhatseemsalmostnext-doorneighbourhood.

oursolitaryconfinementhasanswereditspurposeevenbetterthaniexpected.itissomanyyearssinceihavebeenoutoftowninthespring,thatiscarcelyknewoftheexistenceofsuchaseason.iseeeverydaysomenewflowerpeepingoutoftheground,andwatchitsgrowth;sothatihaveasortofanintimatefriendshipwitheach.iknowtheeffectofeverychangeofweatheruponthem—havelearnedalltheirnames,thedurationoftheirlives,andthewholeprogressoftheirdomesticeconomy.mylandlady,anice,activeoldsoulthatwantsbutoneyearofeighty,andherdaughter,aratheragedyounggentlewoman,aretheonlylabourersinaprettylargegarden;foritisadoublehouse,andtwolongstripsofgroundarelaidintoone,wellstoredwithfruit-trees,whichwillbeinfullblossomtheweekafteriamgone,andflowers,asmanyascanbecrammedin,ofallsortsandkinds.butflowersareflowersstill;andimustconfessiwouldratherliveinrussellstreetallmylife,andneversetmyfootbutonthelondonpavement,thanbedoomedalwaystoenjoythesilentpleasuresinowdo.wegotobedatteno'clock.latehoursarelife-shorteningthings;butiwouldratherrunallrisks,andsiteverynight—atsomeplacesicouldname—wishinginvainateleveno'clockfortheentranceofthesuppertray,thanbealwaysupandaliveateighto'clockbreakfast,asiamhere.wehaveaschemetoreconcilethesethings.wehaveanofferofaverylow-rentedlodgingamilenearertownthanthis.ournotionis,todivideourtime,inalternateweeks,betweenquietrestanddearlondonweariness.wegiveananswerto-morrow;butwhatthatwillbe,atthispresentwriting,iamunabletosay.inthepresentstateofourundecidedopinion,averyheavyrainthatisnowfallingmayturnthescale."dearrain,dogoaway,"andletushaveafinecheerfulsunsettoarguethematterfairlyin.mybrotherwalkedseventeenmilesyesterdaybeforedinner.andnotwithstandinghislongwalktoandfromtheoffice,wewalkeveryevening;butibynomeansperforminthiswaysowellasiusedtodo.atwelve-milewalkonehotsundaymorningmademyfeetblister,andtheyarehardlywellnow.charlesisnotyetcomehome;buthebidme,withmanythanks,topresenthislovetoyouandallyours,toallwhomandtoeachindividually,andtomr.novelloinparticular,ibegtoaddmine.withthesincerestwishesforthehealthandhappinessofall,believeme,ever,dearmarysabilla,yourmostaffectionatefriend,

maryannlamb.

[leighhunt'sessay"deathsoflittlechildren"appearedintheindicatorforapril5,1820;itwasestedbythesamelossasthatwhichpromptedmarylamb'sletter.

thelambsatthistimewerestayingatmrs.bedford's,churchstreet,

stokenewington,asweknowfromanunpublishedletterfrommarylambto

misskelly,datedmarch27,1820.tothisletterihavereferredinthe

preface.itstatesthatmarylamb,whowasteachingmisskellylatinat

thetime,hasherselftakentofrenchintheevenings.]