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.