LETTER239

letter239

charleslambtodorothywordsworth(sameletter.)

dearmisswordsworth,hereweare,transplantedfromournativesoil.ithoughtwenevercouldhavebeentornupfromthetemple.indeeditwasanuglywrench,butlikeatooth,now'tisoutandiameasy.wenevercanstrikerootsodeepinanyotherground.this,whereweare,isalightbitofgardener'smold,andiftheytakeusupfromit,itwillcostnobloodandgroanslikemandrakespull'dup.weareintheindividualspotilikebestinallthisgreatcity.thetheatreswithall[afewwordscutaway:talfourdhas"theirnoises.conventgarden"]dearertomethananygardensofalcinous,wherewearemorallysureoftheearliestpeasand'sparagus.bowstreet,wherethethievesareexamined,withinafewyardsofus.maryhadnotbeenherefourandtwentyhoursbeforeshesawathief.shesitsatthewindowworking,andcasuallythrowingouthereyes,sheseesaconcourseofpeoplecomingthisway,withaconstabletoconductthesolemnity.theselittleincidentsagreeablydiversifyafemalelife.itisadelicatesubject,butismr.***reallymarried?andhashefoundagargletohismind?ohowfunnyhedidtalktomeabouther,intermsofsuchmildquietwhisperingspeculativeprofligacy.butdidtheanimalculeandshecrawlovertherubrictogether,ordidtheynot?maryhasbroughtherpartofthislettertoanorthodoxandlovingconclusion,whichisverywell,forihavenoroomforpansiesandremembrances.whataniceholydayigotonwednesdaybyfavorofaprincessdying.[alineandsignaturecutaway.]

[thelambs'houseinrussellstreetisnow(1912)afruiterer's:ithasbeenrebuilt.russellstreet,coventgarden,inthosedayswasdividedintogreatrussellstreet(fromthemarkettobrydgesstreet,nowcatherinestreet)andlittlerussellstreet,(frombrydgesstreettodrurylane).thebrazier,orironmonger,wasmr.owen,nos.20and21.

thewordsworthshadmovedtorydalmountin1813.

"iamverysorryformr.dequincey."probablyareferencetooneoftheopium-eater'sillnesses.

itwasatlittlehamptonthatcoleridgemethenryfranciscary,thetranslatorofdante,afterwardsoneoflamb'sfriends.

"spotilikebestinallthisgreatcity."seevol.i.ofthisedition,foralittleessaybylambonplacesofresidenceinlondon.

"mr.***."onecanbutconjectureastotheseasterisks.dequincey,whowasverysmall,marriedatthecloseof1816.

"aprincessdying"—princesscharlotteofsaxe-coburg.shewasburied,amidnationallamentation,onnovember19,1817.

hereshouldcomealetterfromlambtoayrtondatednovember25,1817,whichlambholdsispeculiarlyneatlyworded.]