The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 5 - The Letters of Charles and Mary Lamb by Charles Lamb;Mary Lamb
page 297 of 923 (32%)
page 297 of 923 (32%)
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_sucking_. I can scarce think but you meant it in joke. I hope you did,
for I should be ashamed to think that you could think to gratify me by such praise, fit only to be a cordial to some green-sick sonneteer. I have hit off the following in imitation of old English poetry, which, I imagine, I am a dab at. The measure is unmeasureable; but it most resembles that beautiful ballad of the "Old and Young Courtier;" and in its feature of taking the extremes of two situations for just parallel, it resembles the old poetry certainly. If I could but stretch out the circumstances to twelve more verses, i.e., if I had as much genius as the writer of that old song, I think it would be excellent. It was to follow an imitation of Burton in prose, which you have not seen. But fate "and wisest Stewart" say No. I can send you 200 pens and six quires of paper _immediately_, if they will answer the carriage by coach. It would be foolish to pack 'em up _cum multis libris et caeteris_,--they would all spoil. I only wait your commands to coach them. I would pay five-and-forty thousand carriages to read W.'s tragedy, of which I have heard so much and seen so little--only what I saw at Stowey. Pray give me an order in writing on Longman for "Lyrical Ballads." I have the first volume, and, truth to tell, six shillings is a broad shot. I cram all I can in, to save a multiplying of letters--those pretty comets with swingeing tails. I'll just crowd in God bless you! C. LAMB. Wednesday night. |
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