LETTER121

letter121

charleslambtodorothywordsworth

[datedatend:june2,1804.]

dearmisswordsworth,thetaskofletter-writinginmyfamilyfallstome;youaretheorganofcorrespondenceinyours,soiaddressyouratherthanyourbrother.weareallsensiblyobligedtoyouforthelittlescraps(arthur'sbowerandhisbrethren)whichyousentup;thebooksellerhasgotthemandpaidmrs.fenwickforthem.sowhilesomeareauthorsforfame,someformoney,youhavecommencedauthorforcharity.theleastwecando,istoseeyourcommissionsfulfilled;accordinglyihavebookedthis2djune1804fromtheoninnincripplegatethewatchandbookswhichigotfromyourbrotherrichard,togetherwithpurchas'spilgrimageandbrown'sreligiomediciwhichidesireyourbrother'sacceptanceof,withsomepens,ofwhichiobservednogreatfrequencywhenitarriedatgrasmere.(isupposeyouhavegotcoleridge'sletter)—thesethingsihaveputupinadealboxdirectedtomr.wordsworth,grasmere,nearambleside,kendal,bythekendalon.atthesametimeihavesentoffaparcelbyc.'sdesiretomr.t.hutchinsontothecareofmr."t.monkhouse,ort.markhouse"(forc.'swritingisnotveryplain)penrith,bythepenrithonthisday;whichibegyoutoapprizethemof,lestmydirectionfail.inyourbox,youwillfindalittleparcelformrs.coleridge,whichshewantsassoonaspossible;alsoforyourselvesthecotton,magnesia,barkandoil,whichcometo£2.3.4.thus.

sh.

threadandneedles17

magnesia8

bark9.8

oil8.8

——

2.3.4

packingcase2.6

——

2.5.10

deductaguineaioweyou,

whichc.wastopay,1.1.-

butdidnot

——

leavesyouindebted1.4.10

wherebyyoumayseehowpunctualiam.

iconcludewithourkindestremembrancestoyourbrotherandmrs.w.

wehear,theyoungjohnisagiant.

andshouldyouseecharleslloyd,prayforgettogivemylovetohim.

yourstruly,d'rmissw.

c.lamb.

june2,1804.

isendyoutwolittlecopiesofversesbymaryl—b:—

dialoguebetweenamotherandchild

child.

(sings)

"olady,layyourcostlyrobesaside,

nolongermayyougloryinyourpride."

mother.

whereforetodayartsinginginmineear

sadsongsweremadesolongago,mydear?

thisdayiamtobeabride,youknow.

whysingsadsongsweremadesolongago?

child.

"omotherlayyourcostlyrobesaside,"

foryoumayneverbeanother'sbride:

thatlineilearntnotintheoldsadsong.

mother.

ipraythee,prettyone,nowholdthytongue;

playwiththebridemaids,andbeglad,myboy,

forthoushallbeasecondfather'sjoy.

child.

onefatherfondledmeuponhisknee:

onefatherisenoughaloneforme.

estedbyaprintof2femalesafterleo[nardoda]vinci,called

prudence&beauty,whichhangsupinourro[om].