LETTER96

letter96

charleslambtothomasmanning

[nodate.?endofapril,1802.]

mydearmanning,—althoughsomethingofthelatest,andaftertwomonths'waiting,yourletterwashighlygratifying.somepartswantalittleexplication;forexample,"thegod-likefaceofthefirstconsul."whatgoddoeshemostresemble?mars,hus,orapollo?orthegodserapiswho,flying(asegyptianchroniclesdeliver)fromthefuryofthedoganubis(thehieroglyphofanenglishmastiff),lightedonmonomotapa(orthelandofapes),bysomethoughttobeoldfrance,andtheresetupatyranny,&c.ourlondonprintsofhimrepresenthimgloomyandsulky,likeanangryjupiter.ihearthatheisverysmall,evenlessthanme,whoam"lessthantheleastofthe'tles,"atleastthantheyarepaintedinthevatican.ienvyyouyouraccesstothisgreatman,muchmorethanyourséancesandconversaziones,whichihaveashrewdsuspicionmustbesomethingdull.whatyouassertconcerningtheactorsofparis,thattheyexceedourcomedians,"badasoursare,"isimpossible.inonesenseitmaybetrue,thattheirfinegentlemen,inwhatiscalledgenteelcomedy,maypossiblybemorebriskanddégagéthanmr.caulfieldormr.whitfield;buthaveanyofthemthepowertomovelaughterinexcess?orcanafrenchmanlaugh?cantheybatteratyourjudiciousribstilltheyshake,nothingbothtobesoshaken?thisisjohnbull'scriterion,anditshallbemine.youarefrenchified.bothyourtastesandmoralsarecorruptandperverted.by-and-byyouwillcometoassert,thatbuonaparteisasgreatageneralastheolddukeofcumberland,anddenythatoneenglishmancanbeatthreefrenchmen.read"henrythefifth"torestoreyourorthodoxy.allthingscontinueatastay-stillinlondon.icannotrepayyournewnoveltieswithmystalereminiscences.liketheprodigal,ihavespentmypatrimony,andfeeduponthesuperannuatedchaffanddryhusksofrepentance;yetsometimesirememberwithpleasurethehoundsandhorses,whichikeptinthedaysofmyprodigality.ifindnothingnew,noranythingthathassomuchoftheglossanddazzleofnovelty,asmayreboundinnarrative,andcastareflectiveglimmeracrossthechannel.somethingiwillsayaboutpeoplethatyouandiknow.fenwickisstillindebt,andtheprofessorhasnotdonemakinglovetohisnewspouse.ithinkheneverlooksintoanalmanack,orhewouldhavefoundbythecalendarthatthehoneymoonwasextinctamoonago.lloydhaswrittentomeandnamesyou.ithinkaletterfrommaisonmagnan(isthatapersonorathing?)wouldgratifyhim.g.dyerisinlovewithanideotwholovesadoctor,whoisincapableoflovinganythingbuthimself.apuzzlingcircleofperverseprovidences!amazeasun-get-out-again-ableasthehousewhichjackbuilt.southeyissecretarytothechancelloroftheirishexchequer;£400ayear.stoddartisturneddoctorofcivillaw,anddwellsindoctors'commons.ifearhiscommonsareshort,astheysay.didisendyouanepitaphiscribbleduponapoorgirlwhodiedatnineteen,agoodgirlandaprettygirl,andaclevergirl,butstrangelyneglectedbyallherfriendsandkin?

"underthiscoldmarblestone

sleepthesadremainsofone

who,whenalive,byfewornone

wasloved,aslovedshemighthavebeen,

ifsheprosperousdayshadseen,

orhadthrivingbeen,iween.

onlythiscoldfuneralstone

tellsshewasbelovedbyone,

whoonthemarblegraveshismoan."

brief,andpretty,andtender,isitnot?isendyouthis,beingtheonlypieceofpoetryihavedone,sincethemusesallwentwitht.m.toparis.ihaveneitherstuffinmybrain,norpaperinmydrawer,towriteyoualongerletter.liquorandcompanyandwickedoa'nights,havequitedispericraniatedme,asonemaysay;butyouwhospiritualiseuponchampagnemaycontinuetowritelongletters,andstuff'emwithamusementtotheend.toolongtheycannotbe,anymorethanacodiciltoawillwhichleavesmesundryparksandmanorsnotspecifiedinthedeed.butdon'tbetwomonthsbeforeyouwriteagain.thesefrommerryoldengland,onthedayofhervaliantpatronst.george.

c.lamb.

[thisletterisusuallydated1803,butifeelsureitshouldbe1802.southeyhadgivenuphisirishappointmentinthatyear,andgodwin'shoneymoonbeganindecember,1801.

"evenlessthanme."mr.w.c.hazlittgivesinmaryandcharleslambavividimpressionoflamb'ssparefigure.afarmeratwidford,mr.charlestween,himselfnotabigman,toldmr.hazlittthatwhenwalkingoutwithlambhewouldplacehishandsunderhisarmandlifthimoverthestilesasifitwerenothing.napoleon'sheightwas5feet6or7inches.

thomascaulfield,abrotheroftheantiquaryandprint-seller,jamescaulfield,wasacomedianandmimicatdrurylane;whitfieldwasanactoratdrurylane,wholatermovedtocoventgarden.

"anepitaph."theselineswerewrittenuponafriendofrickman's,marydruittofwimborne.theywereprintedinthemorningpostforfebruary7,1804,signedc.l.seelater.]