LETTER196

letter196

charleslambtowilliamgodwin

deargodwin,—ihavefounditforseveralreasonsindispensabletomycomfort,andtomysister's,tohavenovisitorsintheforenoon.ificannotaccomplishthisiamdeterminedtoleavetown.

iamextremelysorrytodoanythingintheslightestdegreethatmayseemoffensivetoyouortomrs.godwin,butwhenageneralruleisfixedon,youknowhowodiousinacaseofthissortitistomakeexceptions;iassureyouihavegivenupmorethanonefriendshipinsticklingforthispoint.itwouldbeunfairtothosefromwhomihavepartedwithregrettomakeexceptions,whichiwouldnotdoforthem.letmerequestyounottobeoffended,andtorequestmrs.g.nottobeoffended,ifibegbothyourcomplianceswiththiswish.yourfriendshipisasdeartomeasthatofanypersononearth,andifitwerenotforthenecessityofkeepingtranquillityathome,iwouldnotseemsounreasonable.

ifyouweretoseetheagitationthatmysisterisin,betweenthefearofoffendingyouandmrs.g.andthedifficultyofmaintainingasystemwhichshefeelswemustdotolivewithoutwretchedness,youwouldexcusethisseemingstrangerequest,whichisendyouwithatremblinganxietyastoitsreceptionwithyou,whomiwouldneveroffend.irelyonyourgoodness.

c.lamb.