LETTER234

letter234

marylambtosarahhutchinson

[nodate.?late1816.]

mydearmisshutchinson,ihadintendedtowriteyoualongletter,butasmyfrankisdatedimustsenditoffwithabareacknowledgmentofthereceiptofyourkindletter.onequestionimusthastilyaskyou.doyouthinkmr.wordsworthwouldhaveanyreluctancetowrite(stronglyrecommendingtotheirpatronage)toanyofhisrichfriendsinlondontosolicitemploymentformissbethamasaminiaturepainter?ifyougivemehopesthathewillnotbeaversetodothis,iwillwritetoyoumorefullystatingtheinfinitegoodhewoulddobyperformingsoirksomeataskasiknowaskingfavourstobe.inbrief,shehascontracteddebtsforprintingherbeautifulpoemof"marie,"whichlikeallthingsoforiginalexcellencedoesnotsellatall.

thesedebtshaveledtolittleaccidentsunbecomingawomanandapoetesstosuffer.retirementwithsuchshouldbevoluntary.

[charleslambadds:—]

thebellrings.ijustsnatchthepenoutofmysister'shandtofinishrapidly.wordsw'th.maytelldeqthatmissb'spriceforavirginandchildisthreeguineas.

yours(allofyou)ever

c.l.

["deq"—thomasdequincey(1785-1859),the"opium-eater,"thenlivingatgrasmere.lambanddequinceyhadfirstmetin1804;butitwasnotuntil1821thattheybecamereallyintimate,whenlambintroducedhimtothelondonmagazine.

missbethampaintedminiatureportraits,amongothers,ofmrs.s.t.

coleridgeandsaracoleridge.

hereshouldcomeanotetowilliamayrtondatedapril18,1817,thankinghimformuchpleasureat"dongiovanni"(seenotetonextletter).

somewhenin1816shouldcomealetterfromlambtoleighhuntonthepublicationofthestoryofrimini,mentionedinleighhunt'scorrespondence,ofwhichthisistheonlysentencethatispreserved:"thethirdcantoisinparticularmyfavourite:wecongratulateyoumostsincerelyonthetrait[?taste]ofyourprisonfruit."]