LETTER69
letter69
charleslambtothomasmanning
[p.m.oct.16,1800.]
dearmanning,—hadyouwrittenoneweekbeforeyoudid,icertainlyshouldhaveobeyedyourinjunction;youshouldhaveseenmebeforemyletter.iwillexplaintoyoumysituation.therearesixofusinonedepartment.twoofus(withinthesefourdays)areconfinedwithseverefevers;andtwomore,whobelongtothetowermilitia,expecttohavemarchingordersonfriday.nowsixareabsolutelynecessary.ihavealreadyaskedandobtainedtwoyounghandstosupplythelossofthefeverites;and,withtheotherprospectbeforeme,youmaybelieveicannotdecentlyaskleaveofabsenceformyself.allicanpromise(andidopromisewiththesincerityofsaintpeter,andthecontritionofsinnerpeterififail)thatiwillcometheveryfirstspareweek,andgonowheretillihavebeenatcambridge.nomatterifyouareinastateofpupilagewhenicome;foricanemploymyselfincambridgeverypleasantlyinthemornings.aretherenotlibraries,halls,colleges,books,pictures,statues?iwishtogodyouhadmadelondoninyourway.thereisanexhibitionquiteuncommonineurope,whichcouldnothaveescapedyourgenius,—aliverattlesnake,tenfeetinlength,andthethicknessofabigleg.iwenttoseeitlastnightbycandlelight.wewereusheredintoaroomverylittleerthanoursatpentonville.amanandwomanandfourboysliveinthisroom,jointtenantswithninesnakes,mostofthemsuchasnoremedyhasbeendiscoveredfortheirbite.wewalkedintothemiddle,whichisformedbyahalf-moonofwiredboxes,allmansionsofsnakes,—whip-snakes,thunder-snakes,pig-nose-snakes,americanvipers,andthismonster.heliescurledupinfolds;andimmediatelyastrangerenters(forheisusedtothefamily,andseesthemplayatcards,)hesetuparattlelikeawatchman'sinlondon,ornearasloud,andrearedupahead,fromthemidstofthesefolds,likeatoad,andshookhishead,andshowedeverysignasnakecanshowofirritation.ihadthefoolishcuriositytostrikethewireswithmyfinger,andthedevilflewatmewithhistoad-mouthwideopen:theinsideofhismouthisquitewhite.ihadgotmyfingeraway,norcouldhewellhavebitmewithhisdamn'dbigmouth,whichwouldhavebeencertaindeathinfiveminutes.butitfrightenedmesomuch,thatididnotrecovermyvoiceforaminute'sspace.iforgot,inmyfear,thathewassecured.youwouldhaveforgottoo,for'tisincrediblehowsuchamonstercanbeconfinedinsmallgauzy-lookingwires.idreamedofsnakesinthenight.iwishtoheavenyoucouldseeit.heabsolutelyswelledwithpassiontothebignessofalargethigh.icouldnotretreatwithoutinfringingonanotherbox,andjustbehind,alittledevilnotaninchfrommyback,hadgothisnoseout,withsomedifficultyandpain,quitethroughthebars!hewassoontaughtbettermanners.allthesnakeswerecurious,andobjectsofterror:butthismonster,likeaaron'sserpent,swalloweduptheimpressionoftherest.heopenedhisdamn'dmouth,whenhemadeatme,aswideashisheadwasbroad.ihallooedoutquiteloud,andfeltpainsallovermybodywiththefright.
ihavehadthefelicityofhearinggeorgedyerreadoutonebookof"thefarmer'sboy."ithoughtitratherchildish.nodoubt,thereisoriginalityinit,(which,inyourself-taughtgeniuses,isamostrarequality,theygenerallygettingholdofsomebadmodelsinascarcityofbooks,andformingtheirtasteonthem,)butnoselection.allisdescribed.
mind,ihaveonlyheardreadonebook.
yourssincerely,
philo-snake,
c.l.
[thefarmer'sboy,byrobertbloomfield,waspublishedinmarch,1800,andwasimmenselypopular.othercriticismsuponitbylambwillbefoundinthiswork.
lamb'svisittocambridgewasdeferreduntiljanuary5,1801.]