LETTER93

letter93

charleslambtojohnrickman

to

johnrickman,esqr.,

dublincastle.

[nodate.?november,1801.]

aletterfromg.dyerwillprobablyaccompanythis.iwishicouldconveytoyouanynotionofthewhimsicalscenesihavebeenwitnesstointhisfortnightpast.'twasontuesdayweekthepoorheathenscrambleduptomydooraboutbreakfasttime.hecamethro'aviolentrainwithnoneckclothon,andabeardthatmadehimaspectacletomenandangels,andtap'datthedoor.maryopen'dit,andhestoodstarkstillandheldapaperinhishandimportingthathehadbeenillwithafever.heeitherwouldn'torcouldn'tspeakexceptbysigns.whenyouwenttocomforthimheputhishanduponhisheartandshookhisheadandtoldushiscomplaintlaywherenomedicinescouldreachit.iwasdispatch'dfordr.dale,mr.phillipsofst.paul'schurchyard,andmr.frend,whoistobehisexecutor.georgesolemnlydeliveredintomr.frend'shandsandmineanoldburntprefacethathadbeeninthefire,withinjunctionswhichwesolemnlyvow'dtoobeythatitshouldbeprintedafterhisdeathwithhislastcorrections,andthatsomeaccountshouldbegiventotheworldwhyhehadnotfulfill'dhisengagementwithsubscribers.havingdonethisandborrow'dtwoguineasofhisbookseller(towhomheimpartedinconfidencethatheshouldleaveagreatmanyloosepapersbehindhimwhichwouldonlywantmethodizingandarrangingtoproveverylucrativetoanybooksellerafterhisdeath),helaidhimselfdownonmybedinamoodofcomplacentresignation.bytheaidofmeatanddrinkputintohim(foriallalongsuspectedavacuum)hewasenabledtositupintheevening,buthehadnotgotthebetterofhisintolerablefearofdying;heexpressedsuchphilosophicindifferenceinhisspeechandsuchfrightenedapprehensionsinhisphysiognomythatifhehadtrulybeendying,andihadknownit,icouldnothavekeptmycountenance.inparticular,whenthedoctorcameandorderedhimtotakelittlewhitepowders(isupposeofchalkoralum,tohumourhim),heey'dhimwithasuspicionwhichicouldnotaccountfor;hehassinceexplain'dthathetookitforgranteddr.daleknewhissituationandhadorderedhimthesepowderstohastenhisdeparturethathemightsufferaslittlepainaspossible.thinkwhatanaspecttheheathenputonwiththesefearsuponadirtyface.torecountallhisfreaksfortwoorthreedayswhilehethoughthewasgoing,andhowthefitoperated,andsometimesthemangotuppermostandsometimestheauthor,andhehadthisexcellentpersontoserve,andhemustcorrectsomeproofsheetsforphillips,andhecouldnotbeartoleavehissubscribersunsatisfy'd,buthemustnotthinkofthesethingsnow,hewasgoingtoaplacewhereheshouldsatisfyallhisdebts—andwhenhegotalittlebetterhebegantodiscoursewhatahappythingitwouldbeiftherewasaplacewhereallthegoodmenandwomenintheworldmightmeet,meaningheav'n,andireallybelieveforatimehehaddoubtsabouthissoul,forhewasverynear,ifnotquite,light-headed.thefactwashehadnothadagoodmealforsomedaysandhislittledirtyniece(whomhesentforwithastilldirtiernephew,and'dhim,andbidthemfarewell)toldusthatunlesshedinesouthesubsistsonteaandgruels.andhecorroboratedthistalebyeverandanoncomplainingofsensationsofgnawingwhichhefeltabouthisheart,whichhemistookhisstomachtobe,andsureenoughthesegnawingsweredissipatedafteramealortwo,andhesurelythinksthathehasbeenrescuedfromthejawsofdeathbydr.dale'swhitepowders.heisgotquitewellagainbynursing,andchirpsofodesandlyricpoetrythedaylong—heistogooutoftownonmonday,andwithhimgoesthedirtytrainofhispapersandbookswhichfollow'dhimtoourhouse.ishallnotbesorrywhenhetakeshisniptcarcaseoutofmybed,whichithasoccupied,andvanisheswithallhislyriclumber,butiwillendeavourtobringhiminfutureintoamethodofdiningatleastonceaday.

ihaveproposedtohimtodinewithme(andhehasnearlycomeintoit)wheneverhedoesnotgoout;andpayme.iwilltakehismoneybeforehandandheshalleatitout.ifidon'titwillgoallovertheworld.someworthlessrelations,ofwhichthedirtylittledevilthatlooksafterhimandastillmoredirtynephewarecomponentparticles,ihavereasontothinkdivideallhisgainswithsomelazyworthlessauthorsthatarehisconstantsatellites.theliteraryfundhasvotedhimseasonably£20andificanhelpitheshallspenditonhisowncarcase.ihaveassistedhiminarrangingtheremainderofwhathecallspoemsandhewillgetridof'emihopeinanother.[herethreelinesaretornawayatthefootofthepage,whereinlambmakesthetransitionfromgeorgedyertoanotherpoorauthor,georgeburnett.]

ipromisedburnettowritewhenhisparcelwent.hewantsmetocertifythatheismoreawakethanyouthinkhim.ibelievehemaybebythistime,butheissofullofself-opinionthatifearwhetherheandphillipswilleverdotogether.whatheistodoforphillipshewhimsicallyseemstoconsidermoreasafavordonetop.thanajobfromp.hestillpersiststocallemploymentdependence,andpratesabouttheinsolenceofbooksellersandthetaxupongeniuses.poordevil!heisnotlaunchedupontheoceanandissea-sickwithaforethought.iwriteplainlyabouthim,andhewouldstareandfrownfinelyifhereadthistreacherousepistle,butireallyamanxiousabouthim,andthat[?it]nettlesmetoseehimsoproudandsohelpless.ifheisnotserv'dhewillneverservehimself.ireadhislonglettertosouthey,whichisupposeyouhaveseen.hehadbetterhavebeenfurnishingcopyforphillipsthanluxuriatingintracingthecausesofhisimbecillity.ibelieveheisalittlewronginnotascribingmoretothestructureofhisownmind.hehadhisyawnsfromnature,hispridefromeducation.

ihopetoseesoutheysoon,soineedonlysendmyremembrancetohimnow.doubtlessineednottellhimthatburnettisnottobefoster'dinself-opinion.hiseyeswantopening,toseehimselfamanofmiddlingstature.iamnotoculistenoughtodothis.thebooksellersmayonedayremovethefilm.iamallthistimeonthemostcordialsuppingtermsofamitywithg.burnettandreallylovehimattimes:butimustspeakfreelyofpeoplebehindtheirbacksandnotthinkitback-biting.itisbetterthangodwin'swayoftellingamanheisafooltohisface.

ithinkifyoucoulddoanythingforgeorgeinthewayofanoffice(godknowswhetheryoucaninanyhaste[?case],butyoudidtalkofit)itismyfirmbeliefthatitwouldbehisonlychanceofsettlement;hewillneverlivebyhisliteraryexertions,ashecallsthem—heistooproudtogotheusualwaytoworkandhehasnotalentstomakethatwayunnecessary.iknowhetalksbiginhislettertosoutheythathismindisundergoinganalterationandthatthedieisnowcastingthatshallconsignhimtohonorordishonour,buttheseexpressionsaretheconvulsionsofafever,notthesoberworkingsofhealth.translatedintoplainenglish,henowandthenperceiveshemustworkorstarve,andthenhethinkshe'llwork;butwhenhegoesaboutitthere'salionintheway.hecamedawdlingtomeforanencyclopædiayesterday.irecommendedhimtonorris'libraryandhesaidifhecouldnotgetitthere,phillipswasboundtofurnishhimwithone;itwasphillips'interesttodoso,andallthat.thiswastruewithsomerestrictions—butastophillips'intereststoobligeg.b.!lordhelphissimplehead!p.couldbyawhistlecalltogetherahostofsuchauthorsasg.b.likerobinhood'smerrymeningreen.p.hasregularregimentsinpay.poorwritersarehiscrab-liceandsuckathimfornutriment.hisroundpuddingchopsaretheirideaofplentywhenintheiridlefanciestheyaspiretoberich.

whatdoyouthinkofalifeofg.dyer?icanscarcelyconceiveamoreamusingnovel.hehasbeenconnectedwithallsectsintheworldandhewillfaithfullytellallheknows.everybodywillreadit;andifitisnotdoneaccordingtomyfancyipromisetoputhiminanovelwhenhedies.nothingshallescapeme.ifyouthinkitfeasible,wheneveryouwriteyoumayencouragehim.sincehehasbeensoclosewithmeihaveperceiv'dtheworkingsofhisinordinatevanity,hisgiganticattentiontoparticlesandtopreventopenvowelsinhisodes,hissolicitudethatthepublicmaynotloseanytittleofhispoemsbyhisdeath,andallthewhilehisutterignorancethattheworlddon'tcareapinabouthisodesandhiscriticisms,afactwhicheverybodyknowsbuthimself—heisarumgenius.

c.l.

[dr.dalewouldprobablybethomasdaleofdevonshiresquare,bishopsgate,whohadalargecitypracticeinthosedays.hediedin1816.

"anoldburntpreface."seenoteonpage210.

georgeburnettwehavealreadymet.hewasbornprobablyin1776.hewenttoballiol,metsoutheyandcoleridgeandbecameapantisocratist.subsequentlyhebecameadissentingministeratyarmouth,andthenamedicalstudentatedinburgh;andlaterheeededgeorgedyerastutorinthefamilyoflordstanhope.hebecameoneofphillips'hacks,aslamb'slettertellsus.hisprincipalworkwasthespecimensofenglishprosewriters,1807,inthreevolumes,inwhichithasbeenstatedthatlambhadahand.hediedinwantin1811.

thereferencetosoutheybeingindublinisexplainedbythefactthat,throughrickman,hehadbeenappointedprivatesecretarytomr.corry,chancelloroftheexchequerforireland,atasalaryof£400.hedidnotlongretainthepost,asitwasvexatiousandthedutiesveryirregular.

lamb'snextlettertorickman,datednovember24,1801,containsbetternewsofdyerandreturnstothesubjectofjohnwoodvil."dyerregularlydineswithmewhenhedoesnotgoavisiting,andbringshisshilling."also,sayslamb,hetalksofmarrying."hehasnotforgivenmeforbetrayingtoyouhispurposeofwritinghisownlife.hesays,thatifitoncespreads,somanypeoplewillexpectandwishtohaveaplaceinit,thatheissureheshalldisobligeallhisfriends."

another,undated,lettertorickmanshouldprobablycomehere-abouts,sayingthatdyerhasbeenlentahouseatenfieldfullofbooks,whereheisatworkonhispoems.

hereperhapsshouldcomealetterfromlambtorobertlloyd,returningtojeremytaylor,anddeprecatingaselectionfromhisworks,whichrobertlloydhadestedthatlambshouldmake.(in1805basilmontagu,afterwards,ifnotnow,afriendoflamb's,publishedavolumeofselectionsfromtheworksoftaylor,etc.)lambsaysthatmanningandcoleridgeareintown,andheismakingathoroughalterationinthestructureofhisplay(johnwoodvil)forpublication.

hereperhapsshouldcomeafurtherundatedlettertorickmaninwhichlambsaysthatthereceiptof£50foranolddebthasmadeitpossibletoprintjohnwoodvil.dyer,hesays,is"themostunmanageableofgod'screatures."burnettisinaverybadwayagain.fenwick'spapertheploughhasbecomeaweekly.godwinisnotyetmarried.fell,godwin'sshadow,iswritingacomedy:"anowlmakingapunwouldbenobademblemoftheunnaturalattempt."inapostscriptlambsaysthathehassincereadtheplayanditisnotbad:"whoknows,butowlsdomakepunswhentheyhootbymoonshine."thebestnewsisthatlambhopestobeatheatricalcriticforthemorningpost.

hereshouldcomealettertorickmandatedjanuary9,1802,theprincipalnewsinwhichisthatgeorgedyerisconsortingwiththeearlofbuchan,the"eccentricbiographeroffletcherofsaltoun,"andhasbroughthimtoseelamb."iwan'tathome,butmarywaswashing—aprettypickletoreceiveanearlin!lordhavemercyuponus!alordinmygarret!myutmostambitionwassometimeorothertoreceiveasecretary.well,iamtobreakfastwiththismadlordonsunday."lambreferstohisarticleinthepostoncooke's"richardiii."

hereshouldcomealettertorickmandatedjanuary14,1802,inwhichlambconfessestotheauthorshipof"dickstrype"inthemorningpostofjanuary6(seevol.iv.);alsoofawhimsicalaccountofthelordmayor'sstatebed(seevol.i.);andofsomeofthetwelfthnightepigrams(seevol.iv.).heincludestwoepigramswhichtheeditorrejected.

hereshouldcomeanotetorickmandatedjanuary18,1802,relatingtoajointsubscriptionwithrickman'sfatherforcertainnewspapers.

hereshouldcomealettertorickmandatedfebruary1,1802,givingthefirstdraftoftheepitaphformarydruitt(seevol.iv.).healsosaysthatgeorgeburnett,whohadjustbeenappointedtutortothesonsoflord("citizen")stanhope,isperplexedbecausehispupilshaverunaway.

hereshouldcomeanotetorickman,datedfebruary4,1802,accompanyingthreecopiesofjohnwoodvilandsayingthatanannuityistobeboughtforgeorgedyerbycertainfriends.

hereshouldcomealettertorickman,datedfebruary14,1802,whichcontainsthenewsthatlambhasgivenupthepost.hefeelsmuchrelievedinconsequence,inspiteofthelossofmoney.georgedyer'sdinnermoneyisnowpaidfromhisfriends'fund,andburnettishappyindoingnothingforlordstanhope'ssalary.marylambdoesnotwantrickmantoknowthat"helen,"inthejohnwoodvilvolume,isofherwriting.]