LETTER224

letter224

charleslambtomatildabetham

[nodate.1815].

dearmissbetham,—thataccursedwordtrillhasvexedmeexcessively.ihavereferredtothems.andcertainlytheprinterisexonerated,itismuchmorelikeatrthanak.butwhatshallisayofmyself?

ifyoucantrustmehereafter,iwillbemorecareful.iwillgothro'thepoem,unlessyoushouldfeelmoresafebydoingityourself.infactasecondpersonlookingoveraproofisliabletoletpassanythingthatsoundsplausible.theactoflookingitoverseemingtorequireonlyanattentiontothewordsthattheyhavethepropercomponentletters,onescarcethinksthen(orbuthalf)ofthesense.—youwillfindonelineihaveventuredtoalterin3'dsheet.youhadmadehope&yokerhime,whichisintolerable.everybodycansee&carpatabadrhimeornorhime.itstrikesasslovenly,likebadspelling.

ifoundoutanothersungbuticouldnotalterit,&iwouldnotdelaythetimebywritingtoyou.besidesitisnotatallconspicuous—itcomesinbythebye'thestrainsisung.'theotherobnoxiouswordwasinaneminentplace,atthebeginningofherlay,whenallearsareuponher.

imustconcludehastily,

dearm.b.

yours

c.l.

[theselettersrefertothelayofmarie.inmr.ernestbetham'sahouseofletterswillbefoundsixotherletters(seepp.161,163,164,166,232)allbearinguponmatildabetham'spoem.]