LETTER71

letter71

charleslambtothomasmanning

[p.m.nov.28,1800.]

dearmanning,—ihavereceivedaverykindinvitationfromlloydandsophiatogoandspendamonthwiththematthelakes.nowitfortunatelyhappens(whichissoseldomthecase!)thatihavesparecashbyme,enoughtoanswertheexpensesofsolongajourney;andiamdeterminedtogetawayfromtheofficebysomemeans.thepurposeofthisletteristorequestofyou(mydearfriend)thatyouwillnottakeitunkindifideclinemyproposedvisittocambridgeforthepresent.perhapsishallbeabletotakecambridgeinmyway,goingorcoming.ineednotdescribetoyoutheexpectationswhichsuchanoneasmyself,pentupallmylifeinadirtycity,haveformedofatourtothelakes.considergrasmere!ambleside!wordsworth!coleridge!ihopeyouwill.*hills,woods,lakes,andmountains,totheeternaldevil.iwilleatsnipeswiththee,thomasmanning.onlyconfess,confess,abite.

p.s.ithinkyounamedthe16th;butwasitnotmodestoflloydtosendsuchaninvitation!itshowshisknowledgeofmoneyandtime.iwouldbelothtothinkhemeant

"ironicsatiresidelongsklented

onmypoorpursie."—burns.

formypart,withreferencetomyfriendsnorthward,imustconfessthatiamnotromance-bitaboutnature.theearth,andsea,andsky(whenallissaid)isbutasahousetodwellin.iftheinmatesbecourteous,andgoodliquorsflowliketheconduitsatanoldcoronation;iftheycantalksensiblyandfeelproperly;ihavenoneedtostandstaringuponthegildedlooking-glass(thatstrainedmyfriend'spurse-stringsinthepurchase),norhisfive-shillingprintoverthemantelpieceofoldnabbsthecarrier(whichonlybetrayshisfalsetaste).justasimportanttome(inasense)isallthefurnitureofmyworld—eye-pampering,butsatisfiesnoheart.streets,streets,streets,markets,theatres,churches,coventgardens,shopssparklingwithprettyfacesofindustriousmilliners,neatsempstresses,ladiescheapening,gentlemenbehindcounterslying,authorsinthestreetwithspectacles,georgedyers(youmayknowthembytheirgait),lampslitatnight,pastry-cooks'andsilver-smiths'shops,beautifulquakersofpentonville,noiseofcoaches,drowsycryofmechanicwatchmanatnight,withbucksreelinghomedrunk;ifyouhappentowakeatmidnight,criesoffireandstopthief;innsofcourt,withtheirlearnedair,andhalls,andbutteries,justlikecambridgecolleges;oldbook-stalls,jeremytaylors,burtonsonmelancholy,andreligiomedicisoneverystall.thesearethypleasures,olondonwith-the-many-sins.ocityaboundinginwhores,forthesemaykeswickandhergiantbroodgohang!

c.l.

[charleslloydhadjustsettledatoldbrathay,aboutthreemilesfrom

ambleside.

manning'sreplytothisletterindicatesthatlamb'sstoryoftheinvitationtostaywithlloydwasahoax.thefirstpage,endedwhereihaveputthe*asterisk—asintheletter,togutch.manningwrites:"n.b.yourlakestorycompletelytookmeintilligottothe2dpage.iwaspleasedtothinkyouweresorich,buticonfessratherwonderedhowyoushouldbeableconvenientlytotakesolongajourneythisinside-faretimeoftheyear."

manningalsosays:"icondole,withyou,mr.lamb,onthetragicfateofyourtragedie—iwonderwhatfoolitwasthatreadit!bythebye,youwoulddomeaveryverygreatfavourbylettingmehaveacopy.ifarsmightbechusers,ishouldasktohaveittranscribedpartlybyyouandpartlybyyoursister.ihaveadesiretopossesssomeofmary'shandwriting"(seeletter79).

"beautifulquakersofpentonville."thisisalmostcertainlyareferencetohestersavory,theoriginaloflamb'spoem"hester."thewholepassageisthefirstofthreeeulogiesoflondonintheletters,allverysimilar.to"thelondoner"wecomelater.]