LETTER24 - The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 5 - Charles Lamb - 其他小说 - 30读书

LETTER24

letter24

charleslambtos.t.coleridge

april7th,1797.

yourlastletterwasdatedthe10thfebruary;inityoupromisedtowriteagainthenextday.atleast,ididnotexpectsolong,sounfriend-like,asilence.therewasatime,col.,whenaremissnessofthissortinadearfriendwouldhavelainveryheavyonmymind,butlatterlyihavebeentoofamiliarwithneglecttofeelmuchfromthesemblanceofit.yet,tosuspectone'sselfoverlookedandinthewaytooblivion,isafeelingratherhumbling;perhaps,astendingtoself-mortification,notunfavourabletothespiritualstate.still,asyoumeanttoconfernobenefitonthesoulofyourfriend,youdonotstandquiteclearfromtheimputationofunkindliness(awordbywhichimeanthediminutiveofunkindness).lloydtellsmehehasbeenveryill,andwasonthepointofleavingyou.iaddressedalettertohimatbirmingham:perhapshegotitnot,andisstillwithyou,ihopehisill-healthhasnotpreventedhisattendingtoarequestimadeinit,thathewouldwriteagainverysoontoletmeknowhowhewas.ihopetogodpoorlloydisnotverybad,orinaverybadway.praysatisfymeaboutthesethings.andthendavidhartleywasunwell;andhowisthesmallphilosopher,theminutephilosopher?anddavid'smother?coleridge,iamnottrifling,norarethesematter-of-fact[?course]questionsonly.youareallverydearandprecioustome;dowhatyouwill,col.,youmayhurtmeandvexmebyyoursilence,butyoucannotestrangemyheartfromyouall.icannotscatterfriendship[s]likechuck-farthings,norletthemdropfromminehandlikehour-glasssand.ihavetwoorthreepeopleintheworldtowhomiammorethanindifferent,andican'taffordtowhistlethemofftothewinds.bytheway,lloydmayhavetoldyouaboutmysister.itoldhim.ifnot,ihavetakenheroutofherconfinement,andtakenaroomforherathackney,andspendmysundays,holidays,etc.,withher.sheboardsherself.inonelittlehalfyear'sillness,andinsuchanillnessofsuchanatureandofsuchconsequences!togetheroutintotheworldagain,withaprospectofherneverbeingsoillagain—thisistoberankednotamongthecommonblessingsofprovidence.maythatmercifulgodmaketendermyheart,andmakemeasthankful,asinmydistressiwasearnest,inmyprayers.congratulatemeonanever-presentandnever-alienablefriendlikeher.anddo,doinsert,ifyouhavenotlost,mydedication.itwillhavelosthalfitsvaluebycomingsolate.ifyoureallyaregoingonwiththatvolume,ishallbeenabledinadayortwotosendyouashortpoemtoinsert.now,doanswerthis.friendship,andactsoffriendship,shouldbereciprocal,andfreeastheair;afriendshouldneverbereducedtobeganalmsofhisfellow.yetiwillbeganalms;ientreatyoutowrite,andtellmeallaboutpoorlloyd,andallofyou.godloveandpreserveyouall.

c.lamb.

[lloyd'sdomesticationwithcoleridgehadbeenintermittent.itbeganinseptember,1796;innovemberlloydwasveryill;indecembercoleridgetoldmr.lloydthathewouldretainhissonnolongeraspupilbutmerelyasalodgerandfriend;atchristmascharleslloydwasatbirmingham;injanuaryhewasinlondon;inmarchhewasillagainandhisexperimentwithcoleridgeended.

"theminutephilosopher."ajokingreferencetobishopberkeley'salciphron;or,theminutephilosopher.

forthededicationtowhichlambrefersseeabove.]