"But indeed I am ill at these ceremonious inductions. I fancy I was not
born with a call on my head, though I have brought one down upon it with a
vengeance. I love not to pluck that sort of frail crude, but to stay its
ripening into visits. In probability Mary will be at Southampton Row this
morning, and something of that kind be matured between you; but in any
case not many hours shall elapse before I shake you by the hand.

"Meantime give my kindest felicitations to Mrs. Procter, and assure her I
look forward with the greatest delight to our acquaintance. By the way,
the deuce a bit of cake has come to hand, which hath an inauspicious look
at first; but I comfort myself that that Mysterious Service hath the
property of Sacramental Bread, which mice cannot nibble, nor time moulder.

"I am married myself--to a severe step-wife--who keeps me, not at bed and
board, but at desk and board, and is jealous of my morning aberrations. I
cannot slip out to congratulate kinder unions. It is well she leaves me
alone o' nights--the d-d Day-hag _Business_. She is even now peeping over
me to see I am writing no Love Letters. I come, my dear--Where is the
Indigo Sale Book?

"Twenty adieus, my dear friends, till we meet.

"Yours most truly,

"C. LAMB.

"_Leadenhall, Nov. 11th, '24_."

The necessity for labor continued for some short time longer. At last (in
the beginning of the year 1825) deliverance came. Charles had previously