Gawries wear mysterious things,
      That serve at once for jackets and for wings. 
      Age, that enfeebles other men’s designs,
      But heightens thine, and thy free draught refines. 
      In several ways distinct you make us feel—­
      Graceful as Raphael, as Watteau genteel. 
      Your lights and shades, as Titianesque, we praise;
      And warmly wish you Titian’s length of days.

“Short of the theatres.”  The injury done by the theatres is of course the subject of Lamb’s Reflector essay on Shakespeare’s Tragedies (see Vol.  I.).

“Boydell’s ‘Shakespeare Gallery’”—­the series of 170 illustrations to Shakespeare by leading artists of the day projected by Alderman Boydell in 1786.

“Coleridge’s... exemplification.”  Lamb quoted incorrectly.  The lines had just appeared in Friendship’s Offering for 1834:—­

        In the hexameter rises the fountain’s silvery column;
        In the pentameter aye falling in melody back.

Coleridge took the lines from Schiller.

At Dr. Williams’ Library is a note from Thos.  Robinson to Crabb Robinson, dated December 22, 1833, concerning Lamb’s Christmas turkey, which went first to Crabb Robinson at the Temple and was then sent on to Lamb, presumably with the note in the hamper.  Lamb adds at the foot of the note:—­

“The parcel coming thro’ you, I open’d this note, but find no treason in it.

With thanks

C. LAMB.”

I give here three other notes to Dilke, belonging probably to the early days of 1834.  The first refers to the proof of one of Lamb’s contributions to The Athenaeum.]

LETTER 594

CHARLES LAMB TO CHARLES WENTWORTH DILKE

[No date.]

May I now claim of you the benefit of the loan of some books.  Do not fear sending too many.  But do not if it be irksome to yourself,—­such as shall make you say, ‘damn it, here’s Lamb’s box come again.’  Dog’s leaves ensured!  Any light stuff:  no natural, history or useful learning, such as Pyramids, Catacombs, Giraffes, Adventures in Southern Africa, &c. &c.

With our joint compliments, yours,

C. LAMB.

Church Street, Edmonton.

Novels for the last two years, or further back-nonsense of any period.

LETTER 595

CHARLES LAMB TO CHARLES WENTWORTH DILKE

[No date.  Spring, 1834.]

Dear Sir, I return 44 volumes by Tate.  If they are not all your own, and some of mine have slipt in, I do not think you will lose much.  Shall I go on with the Table talk?  I will, if you like it, when the Culinary article has appear’d.

Robins, the Carrier, from the Swan, Snow Hill, will bring any more contributions, thankfully to be receiv’d—­I pay backwards and forwards.