LETTER111 - The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 5 - Charles Lamb - 其他小说 - 30读书

LETTER111

letter111

charleslambtojohnrickman

saturdaymorning,july16th,1803.

dearrickman,—iencloseyouawonder,aletterfromtheshades.adeadbodywantstoreturn,andbeinrolledintervivos.'tisagentleghost,andinthisgalvanicageitmayhaveachance.

maryandiaresettingoutfortheisleofwight.wemakebutashortstay,andshallpassthetimebetwixtthatplaceandportsmouth,wherefenwickis.isadlywantedtoexplorethepeakthissummer;butmaryisagainststeeringwithoutcardorcompass,andweshouldbeatlargeindarbyshire.

weshallbeathomethisnightandto-morrow,ifyoucancomeandtakeafarewellpipe.

iregularlytransmittedyournoticestothe"morningpost,"buttheyhavenotbeendulyhonoured.thefaultlaynotinme.—

yourstruly,

c.lamb.

[icannotexplainthereferencetothedeadbody.mr.bertramdobellconsidersittoapplytoanarticlewhichhebelieveslambtohavewritten,called"anappealfromtheshades,"printedinthelondonmagazine,newseries,vol.v.(seesidelightsoncharleslamb,1903,pages140-152).icannot,however,thinkthatlambcouldwritein1803inthedeliberatemannerofthatessay;thatthe"appeal"isbyhim;orthatthereferenceintheletteristoanessayatall.ihavenorealtheorytoputforward;butitonceoccurredtomethattheletterfromtheshadeswasfromgeorgeburnett,whohadquarrelledwithrickman,mayreasonablybebelievedtohavethreatenedsuicide,andhadnowpossiblyappealedtohismercythroughlamb.later,burnettenteredthemilitiaasasurgeon,andatthebeginningof1804heleftforpoland.

followingthisshouldcomealetterfromlambtorickman,datedjuly27,1803.itispartofonefromcaptainburneydescribingtheadventuresoftheburneysandlambsatcowes.lamb,saysthecaptain,ontheirwaytonewport"veryingeniouslyandunconsciouslycastloosethefasteningsofthemast,sothatmast,sprit,sails,andalltheresttumbledoverboardwithacrash."lambonhispartisamusingaboutthecaptainandmartinburney,andsayshelongsforholbornsceneryagain.]