LETTER114

letter114

charleslambtowilliamgodwin

nov.10,1803.

deargodwin,—younevermadeamoreunluckyandperversemistakethantosupposethatthereasonofmynotwritingthatcursedthingwastobefoundinyourbook.iassureyoumostsincerelythatihavebeengreatlydelightedwithchaucer.imaybewrong,butithinkthereisoneconsiderableerrorrunsthroughit,whichisaconjecturingspirit,afondnessforfillingoutthepicturebysupposingwhatchaucerdidandhowhefelt,wherethematerialsarescanty.sofarfrommeaningtowithholdfromyou(outofmistakentenderness)thisopinionofmine,iplainlytoldmrs.godwinthatididfindafault,whichishouldreservenaminguntilishouldseeyouandtalkitover.thisshemayverywellremember,andalsothatideclinednamingthisfaultuntilshedrewitfrommebyaskingmeiftherewasnottoomuchfancyinthework.ithenconfessedgenerallywhatifelt,butrefusedtogointoparticularsuntilihadseenyou.iamneververyfondofsayingthingsbeforethirdpersons,becauseintherelation(suchishumannature)somethingissuretobedropped.ifmrs.godwinhasbeenthecauseofyourmisconstruction,iamveryangry,tellher;yetitisnotanangeruntodeath.irememberalsotellingmrs.g.(whichshemayhavedropt)thatiwasbyturnsconsiderablymoredelightedthaniexpected.butiwishedtoreserveallthisuntilisawyou.ievenhadconceivedanexpressiontomeetyouwith,whichwasthankingyouforsomeofthemostexquisitepiecesofcriticismihadeverreadinmylife.inparticular,ishouldhavebroughtforwardthaton"troilusandcressida"andshakespearwhich,itislittletosay,delightedme,andinstructedme(ifnotabsolutelyinstructedme,yetputintofull-grownsensemanyconceptionswhichhadariseninmebeforeinmymostdiscriminatingmoods).allthesethingsiwaspreparingtosay,andbottlingthemuptillicame,thinkingtopleasemyfriendandhost,theauthor!whenlo!thisdeadlyblightintervened.

icertainlyoughttomakegreatallowancesforyourmisunderstandingme.you,bylonghabitsofcompositionandagreatercommandgainedoveryourownpowers,cannotconceiveofthedesultoryanduncertainwayinwhichi(anauthorbyfits)sometimescannotputthethoughtsofacommonletterintosaneprose.anyworkwhichitakeuponmyselfasanengagementwillactuponmetotorment,e.g.,whenihaveundertaken,asthreeorfourtimesihave,aschool-boycopyofversesformerchanttaylors'boys,ataguineaacopy,ihavefrettedoverthem,inperfectinabilitytodothem,andhavemademysisterwretchedwithmywretchednessforaweektogether.thesame,tillbyhabitihaveacquiredamechanicalcommand,ihavefeltinmakingparagraphs.astoreviewing,inparticular,myheadissowhimsicalahead,thaticannot,afterreadinganotherman'sbook,letithavebeenneversopleasing,giveanyaccountofitinanymethodicalway.icannotfollowhistrain.somethinglikethisyoumusthaveperceivedofmeinconversation.tenthousandtimesihaveconfessedtoyou,talkingofmytalents,myutterinabilitytorememberinanycomprehensivewaywhatiread.icanvehementlyapplaud,orperverselystickle,atparts;buticannotgraspatawhole.thisinfirmity(whichisnothingtobragof)maybeseeninmytwolittlecompositions,thetaleandmyplay,inbothwhichnoreader,howeverpartial,canfindanystory.iwrotesuchstuffaboutchaucer,andgotintosuchdigressions,quiteirreducibleinto1-1/5columnofapaper,thatiwasperfectlyashamedtoshowityou.however,itisbecomeaseriousmatterthatishouldconvinceyouineitherslunkfromthetaskthroughawilfuldesertingneglect,orthroughany(mostimaginaryonyourpart)distasteofchaucer;andiwilltrymyhandagain,ihopewithbetterluck.myhealthisbadandmytimetakenup,butallicansparebetweenthisandsundayshallbeemployedforyou,sinceyoudesireit:andifibringyouacrude,wretchedpaperonsunday,youmustburnit,andforgiveme;ifitprovesanythingbetterthanipredict,mayitbeapeace-offeringofsweetincensebetweenus.

c.lamb.

[lamb'sreviewofgodwin'slifeofchaucer,issuedinoctober,1803,

hasnotbeenidentified.perhapsitwasnevercompleted.writingto

wordsworth,december28,1814,hesaysthathisreviewofthe

excursionisthefirstheeverdid.

lamb'searlymerchanttaylors'verseshavebeenlost,buttwoepigramsthathewrotemanyyearslaterforthesonsofhessey,thepublisher,havebeenpreserved(seethelettertosouthey,may10,1830).]