LETTER149

letter149

charleslambtojohnrickman

march,1806.

dearrickman,—isendyousomepapersaboutasalt-watersoap,forwhichtheinventorisdesirousofgettingaparliamentaryreward,likedr.jenner.whethersuchaprojectbefeasible,imainlydoubt,takingforgrantedtheequalutility.ishouldsupposetheusualwayofpayingsuchprojectorsisbypatentsandcontracts.thepatent,yousee,hehasgot.acontractheisaboutwiththenavyboard.meantime,theprojectorishungry.willyouanswermetwoquestions,andreturnthemwiththepapersassoonasyoucan?imprimis,isthereanychanceofessinapplicationtoparliamentforareward?didyoueverhearoftheinvention?youseeitsbenefitsandsavingtothenation(alwaysthefirstmotivewithatrueprojector)arefeelinglysetforth:thelastparagraphbutoneoftheestimate,inenumeratingtheshiftspoorseamenareputto,evenapproachestothepathetic.but,agreeingtoallhesays,istheretheremotestchanceofparliamentgivingtheprojectoranything;andwhenshouldapplicationbemade,noworafterareport(ifhecangetit)fromthenavyboard?secondly,lettheinfeasibilitybeasgreatasyouwill,youwillobligemebytellingmethewayofintroducingsuchanapplicationtoparliament,withoutbuyingoveramajorityofmembers,whichistotallyoutofprojector'spower.ivouchnothingforthesoapmyself;forialwayswashinfreshwater,andfinditanswertolerablywellforallpurposesofcleanliness;nordoiknowtheprojector;butarelationofminehasputmeonwritingtoyou,forwhoseparliamentaryknowledgehehasgreatveneration.

p.s.thecapt.andmrs.burneyandphillipstaketheirchanceatcribbagehereonwednesday.willyouandmrs.r.jointheparty?marydesireshercomplimentstomrs.r.,andjoinsintheinvitation.

yourstruly,

c.lamb.

[rickmannowheldthepostofprivatesecretarytothespeaker,charles

abbot,afterwardslordcolchester.

captainburneywehavealreadymet.hiswife,sarahburney,was,thereisgoodreasontosuppose,inlamb'smindwhenhewrotetheeliaessay"mrs.battle'sopinionsonwhist."phillipswaseithercolonelphillips,aretiredofficerofmarines,whohadsailedwithburneyandcaptaincook,hadknowndr.johnson,andhadmarriedburney'ssister;ornedphillips(rickman'ssecretary).]