For “Barbara S——­” see Vol.  II. of the present edition.]

LETTER 565

CHARLES LAMB TO EDWARD MOXON

[No date.  Early 1833.]

No writing, and no word, ever passed between Taylor, or Hessey, and me, respecting copy right.  This I can swear.  They made a volume at their own will, and volunteerd me a third of profits, which came to L30, which came to Bilk, and never came back to me.  Proctor has acted a friendly part—­when did he otherwise?  I am very sorry to hear Mrs. P——­ as I suppose is not so well.  I meditated a rallying epistle to him on his Gemini—­his two Sosias, accusing him of having acted a notable piece of duplicity.  But if his partner in the double dealing suffers—­it would be unseasonable.  You cannot rememb’r me to him too kindly.  Your chearful letter has relieved us from the dumps; all may be well.  I rejoice at your letting your house so magnificently.  Talfourd’s letter may be directed to him “On the Western Circuit."* That is the way, send it.  With Blackwood pray send Piozziana and a Literary Gazette if you have one.  The Piozzi and that shall be immed’tly return’d, and I keep Mad.  Darblay for you eventually, a longwinded reader at present having use of it.

The weather is so queer that I will not say I expect you &c.—­but am prepared for the pleasure of seeing you when you can come.

We had given you up (the post man being late) and Emma and I have 20 times this morning been to the door in the rain to spy for him coming.

Well, I know it is not all settled, but your letter is chearful and cheer-making.

We join in triple love to you.

ELIA & Co.

I am settled in any case to take at Bookseller’s price any copies I have more.  Therefore oblige me by sending a copy of Elia to Coleridge and B. Barton, and enquire (at your leisure of course) how I can send one, with a letter, to Walter Savage Landor.  These 3 put in your next bill on me.  I am peremptory that it shall be so.  These are all I can want.

Is it the Western? he goes to Reading &c.

[John Taylor, representing the firm of Taylor & Hessey, seems to have set up a claim of copyright in those essays in the Last Essays of Elia that were printed in the London Magazine.  For Procter’s part, see next letter.

Piozziana; or, Recollections of the late Mrs. Piozzi (Johnson’s Mrs. Thrale), was published in 1833.  It was by the Rev. E. Mangin.

Mad.  Darblay would be The Memoirs of Dr. Burney, 1832, by his daughter Madame d’Arblay (Admiral Burney’s niece).  The book was severely handled in the Quarterly for April, 1833.

The following letter, which is undated, seems to refer to the difficulty mentioned above:—­]

LETTER 566