"You beat but on the case." When Anaxarchus, the philosopher, was being
pounded to death in a mortar, by command of Alexander the Great, he made
use of this phrase. After these words, in Canon Ainger's transcript,
Lamb remarks:--"On better consideration, pray omit that Dedication. The
Essays want no Preface: they are _all Preface_. A Preface is nothing but
a talk with the reader; and they do nothing else. Pray omit it.

"There will be a sort of Preface in the next Magazine, which may act as
an advertisement, but not proper for the volume.

"Let ELIA come forth bare as he was born."

The sort of Preface in the next magazine (January, 1823) was the
"Character of the Late Elia," used as a preface to the _Last Essays_ in
1833.]



LETTER 302

CHARLES LAMB TO WALTER WILSON

E.I.H. 16 dec. 22.

Dear Wilson

_Lightening_ I was going to call you--

You must have thought me negligent in not answering your letter sooner.
But I have a habit of never writing letters, but at the office--'tis so