of his mind. Previously to that time, his letters had consisted chiefly of
witticisms (clever indeed, but not of surpassing quality), religious
thoughts, reminiscences, &c., for the most part unadorned and simple.
Afterwards, especially after the Manning era, they exhibit far greater
weight of meaning, more fecundity, original thoughts, and brilliant
allusions; as if the imagination had begun to awaken and enrich the
understanding. Manning's solid, scientific mind had, without doubt, the
effect of arousing the sleeping vigor of Lamb's intellect.

A long correspondence took place between them. At first Lamb sent Manning
his opinions only: "Opinion is a species of property that I am always
desirous of sharing with my friends." Then he communicates the fact that
George Dyer, "that good-natured poet, is now more than nine months gone
with twin volumes of odes." Afterwards he tells him that he is reading
Burnet's History of his own Times--"full of scandal, as all true history
is."

On Manning quitting England for China (1806), the letters become less
frequent; they continue, however, during his absence: one of them,
surpassing the Elia essay, to "Distant Correspondents," is very
remarkable; and when the Chinese traveller returned to London, he was very
often a guest at Lamb's residence. I have repeatedly met him there. His
countenance was that of an intelligent, steady, almost serious man. His
journey to the Celestial Empire had not been unfruitful of good; his talk
at all times being full of curious information, including much anecdote,
and some (not common) speculations on men and things. When he returned, he
brought with him a native of China, whom he took one evening to a ball in
London, where the foreigner from Shanghai, or Pekin, inquired with much
naivete as to the amount of money which his host had given to the dancers
for their evening's performance, and was persuaded with difficulty that