topics, that distress may come upon an honest man
without his fault, that the failure of one that he
trusted was his calamity &c. &c. Then let
both
be hang’d. O how careful it would make
traders! These are my deliberate thoughts after
many years’ experience in matters of trade.
What a world of trouble it would save you, if Friend
* * * * * had been immediately hangd, without benefit
of clergy, which (being a Quaker I presume) he could
not reasonably insist upon. Why, after slaving
twelve months in your assign-business, you will be
enabled to declare seven pence in the Pound in all
human probabilty. B.B., he should be
hanged.
Trade will never re-flourish in this land till such
a Law is establish’d. I write big not to
save ink but eyes, mine having been troubled with
reading thro’ three folios of old Fuller in
almost as few days, and I went to bed last night in
agony, and am writing with a vial of eye water before
me, alternately dipping in vial and inkstand.
This may enflame my zeal against Bankrupts—but
it was my speculation when I could see better.
Half the world’s misery (Eden else) is owing
to want of money, and all that want is owing to Bankrupts.
I declare I would, if the State wanted Practitioners,
turn Hangman myself, and should have great pleasure
in hanging the first after my salutary law should
be establish’d. I have seen no annuals
and wish to see none. I like your fun upon them,
and was quite pleased with Bowles’s sonnet.
Hood is or was at Brighton, but a note, prose or rhime,
to him, Robert Street, Adelphi, I am sure would extract
a copy of
his, which also I have not seen.
Wishing you and yours all Health, I conclude while
these frail glasses are to me—eyes.
C.L.
["Dioclesian.” The Emperor Diocletian abdicated
the throne after twenty-one years’ reign, and
retired to his garden. Charles V. of Germany
imitated the Roman Emperor, and after thirty-six years
took the cowl.
“Hazlitt has just been defrauded.”
The failure of Hunt & Clarke, the publishers of the
Life of Napoleon, cost Hazlitt L500. He
had received only L140 towards this, in a bill which
on their insolvency became worthless.
“Friend * * * * *.” Not identifiable.]
LETTER 498
CHARLES LAMB TO WILLIAM WORDSWORTH
[P.M. January 22, 1830.]
And is it a year since we parted from you at the steps
of Edmonton Stage? There are not now the years
that there used to be. The tale of the dwindled
age of men, reported of successional mankind, is true
of the same man only. We do not live a year in
a year now. ’Tis a punctum stans.
The seasons pass us with indifference. Spring
cheers not, nor winter heightens our gloom, Autumn
hath foregone its moralities, they are hey-pass re-pass
[as] in a show-box. Yet as far as last year occurs
back, for they scarce shew a reflex now, they make
no memory as heretofore—’twas sufficiently
gloomy. Let the sullen nothing pass.