At all events I will thank you to write, for I am tormented with
anxiety--

I suppose you have somewhere heard that poor Mary Dollin has poisoned
herself, after some interviews with John Reid, the ci-devant Alphonso of
her days of hope.

How is Edith?

C. LAMB.

[John May was a friend and correspondent of Southey whom he had met at
Lisbon: not to be confounded with Coleridge's inn-keeping May.

Sir Francis Baring was a director of the East India Company. 1 have no
knowledge as to who the young man was; nor have I any regarding Mary
Dollin and John Reid.]




LETTER 42


CHARLES LAMB TO ROBERT SOUTHEY

Jan. 21st, 1799.

I am requested by Lloyd to excuse his not replying to a kind letter
received from you. He is at present situated in most distressful family