In haste (not for neglect)

Yours ever

C. LAMB.

Thursday.

[Lamb evidently refers to Moxon’s engagement to Miss Isola being now settled.

The play was Sheridan Knowles’ “The Wife,” produced on April 24.

The Buffams were the landladies of the house in Southampton Buildings, where Lamb lodged in town.]

LETTER 577

CHARLES LAMB TO EDWARD MOXON

[P.M.  April 27, 1833.]

Dear M. Mary and I are very poorly.  Asbury says tis nothing but influenza.  Mr. W. appears all but dying, he is delirious.  Mrs. W. was taken so last night, that Mary was obliged at midnight to knock up Mrs. Waller to come and sit up with her.  We have had a sick child, who sleeping, or not sleeping, next me with a pasteboard partition between, killed my sleep.  The little bastard is gone.  My bedfellows are Cough and cramp, we sleep 3 in a bed.  Domestic arrangem’ts (Blue Butcher and all) devolve on Mary.  Don’t come yet to this house of pest and age.  We propose when E. and you agree on the time, to come up and meet her at the Buffams’, say a week hence, but do you make the appointm’t.  The Lachlans send her their love.

I do sadly want those 2 last Hogarths—­and an’t I to have the Play?

Mind our spirits are good and we are happy in your happiness_es_.

C.L.

Our old and ever loves to dear Em.

["Mr. W.” was Mr. Westwood.—­I know nothing of the Lachlans.—­The Play would be “The Wife” probably.—­Miss Isola was, I imagine, staying with the Moxons.]

LETTER 578

CHARLES LAMB TO THE REV.  JAMES GILLMAN

May 7, 1833.

By a strange occurrence we have quitted Enfield for ever.  Oh! the happy eternity!  Who is Vicar or Lecturer for that detestable place concerns us not.  But Asbury, surgeon and a good fellow, has offered to get you a Mover and Seconder, and you may use my name freely to him.  Except him and Dr. Creswell, I have no respectable acquaintance in the dreary village.  At least my friends are all in the public line, and it might not suit to have it moved at a special vestry by John Gage at the Crown and Horseshoe, licensed victualler, and seconded by Joseph Horner of the Green Dragon, ditto, that the Rev. J.G. is a fit person to be Lecturer, &c.

My dear James, I wish you all success, but am too full of my own emancipation almost to congratulate anyone else.  With both our loves to your father and mother and glorious S.T.C.

Yours,

C. LAMB.

[The Rev. James Gillman was the eldest son of Coleridge’s physician and friend.  He was born in 1808 and ordained in 1831.  He thought in 1833 of standing as candidate for the vicarship of Enfield, but did not obtain it.  After acting as Under Master of Highgate Grammar School he became in 1836 Rector of Barfreystone, in Kent.  In 1847 he became Vicar of Holy Trinity, Lambeth.  He died in 1877.