We are dawdling our time away very idly and pleasantly, at a Mrs. Leishman’s, Chace, Enfield, where, if you come a-hunting, we can give you cold meat and a tankard.  Her husband is a tailor; but that, you know, does not make her one.  I knew a jailor (which rhymes), but his wife was a fine lady.

Let us hear from you respecting Mrs. Patmore’s regimen.  I send my love
in a ------ to Dash.                                   C. LAMB.

[On the outside of the letter was written:—­]

Seriously, I wish you would call upon Hood when you are that way.  He’s a capital fellow.  I sent him a couple of poems —­one ordered by his wife, and written to order; and ’tis a week since, and I’ve not heard from him.  I fear something is the matter.

Omitted within

Our kindest remembrance to Mrs. P.

[This is from Patmore’s My Friends and Acquaintances, 1854; but again I have no confidence in Patmore’s transcription.

Dash had been Hood’s dog, and afterwards was Lamb’s; while at one time Moxon seems to have had the care of it.  Patmore possibly was taking Dash while the Lambs were at Mrs. Leishman’s.  One of the children who might be amused by the dog’s mad ways was Coventry Patmore, afterwards the poet, then nearly four years old.]

LETTER 427

CHARLES LAMB TO JOHN BATES DIBDIN

[P.M.  September 5, 1827.]

Dear Dib,—­Emma Isola, who is with us, has opened an ALBUM:  bring some verses with you for it on Sat’y evening.  Any fun will do.  I am teaching her Latin; you may make something of that.  Don’t be modest.  For in it you shall appear, if I rummage out some of your old pleasant letters for rhymes.  But an original is better.

Has your pa[1] any scrap?  C.L.

We shall be MOST glad to see your sister or sisters with you.  Can’t you contrive it?  Write in that case.

[Footnote 1:  the infantile word for father.]

[On the blank pages inside the letter Dibdin seems to have jotted down ideas for his contribution to the album.  Unfortunately, as I have said, the album is not forthcoming.]

LETTER 428

CHARLES LAMB TO JOHN BATES DIBDIN

[P.M.  September 13, 1827.]

Dear John—­Your verses are very pleasant, and have been adopted into the splendid Emmatic constellation, where they are not of the least magnitude.  She is delighted with their merit and readiness.  They are just the thing.  The 14th line is found.  We advertised it.  Hell is cooling for want of company.  We shall make it up along with our kitchen fire to roast you into our new House, where I hope you will find us in a few Sundays.  We have actually taken it, and a compact thing it will be.

Kemble does not return till the month’s end.  My heart sometimes is good, sometimes bad, about it, as the day turns out wet or walky.