have a hare"--

"And--and--and--and many friends?"

The hesitation in the speech, and the readiness of the
allusion were alike characteristic of the individual, who
his familiars will perchance have recognized already as the
delightful Essayist, the capital Critic, the pleasant Wit
and Humorist, the delicate-minded and large-hearted Charles
Lamb!

This gives us at once something of a glimpse of Lamb as he appeared to
the eyes of his contemporaries, and an indication of the impression
which his genius had made on another man of genius. With his Elia
essays he may be said to have crowned his achievements in the eyes of
those who knew him, and, in fact, his active work, or that part of it
which counts, may be said to have ended with the production of these
essays, which he wrote at first for the "London," and occasionally
later for other periodicals.

In 1823 came another removal. During the summer, or when busy over
some piece of writing, Lamb had stayed a while at Dalston or other
semi-rural place away from the time-wasting friends and fascinations
of town. Thus when it was decided to leave Russell Street the move
was made to semi-suburban quietude and retirement.

When you come London-ward you will find me no longer in Covt
Gard. I have a Cottage, in Colebrook row, Islington. A
cottage, for it is detach'd; a white house, with 6 good
rooms; the New River (rather elderly by this time) runs (if