Page 124. On Wawd.

Wawd was a fellow-clerk.  We have this jeu d’esprit through Mr. Joseph H. Twichell, an American who had it from a fellow-clerk of Lamb’s named Ogilvie. (See Scribner’s Magazine, March, 1876.)

Page 124. Six Epitaphs.

Writing to Southey on March 20, 1799, Lamb says:—­“I the other day threw off an extempore epitaph on Ensign Peacock of the 3rd Regt. of the Royal East India Volunteers, who like other boys in this scarlet tainted age was ambitious of playing at soldiers, but dying in the first flash of his valour was at the particular instance of his relations buried with military honours! like any veteran scarr’d or chopt from Blenheim or Ramilies. (He was buried in sash and gorget.) Sed hae sunt lamentabilis nugae—­But’tis as good as some epitaphs you and I have read together in Christ-Church-yard.”

The last five Epigrams were sent to the New York Tribune, Feb. 22, 1879, by the late J.H.  Siddons.  They were found on scraps of paper in Lamb’s desk in the India House.  Wagstaff and Sturms were fellow-clerks.  Dr. Drake was the medical officer of the establishment.  Captain Dey was a putative son of George IV.  The lines upon him were given to Siddons by Kenney’s son.

Page 126. Time and Eternity and From the Latin.

In The Mirror for June 1, 1833, are the two poems, collected under the general heading “The Gatherer,” indexed “Lamb, C., lines by.”  Mr. Thomas Hutchinson first printed the second poem; but I do not feel too happy about it.

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Page 127.  SATAN IN SEARCH OF A WIFE, 1831.

This ballad was published by Moxon, anonymously, in 1831, although the authorship was no secret In its volume form it was illustrated by George Cruikshank.  Lamb probably did not value his ballad very highly.  Writing to Moxon in 1833 he says, “I wish you would omit ‘by the Author of Elia’ now, in advertising that damn’d ‘Devil’s Wedding.’”

There is a reference to the poem, in Lamb’s letter to Moxon of October 24, 1831, which needs explanation.  Moxon’s Englishman’s Magazine, after running under his control for three months, was suddenly abandoned.  Lamb, who seems to have been paid in advance for his work, wrote to Moxon on the subject, approving him for getting the weight off his mind and adding:—­“I have one on mine.  The cash in hand which as ***** less truly says, burns in my pocket.  I feel queer at returning it (who does not?).  You feel awkward at re-taking it (who ought not?) is there no middle way of adjusting this fine embarrassment.  I think I have hit upon a medium to skin the sore place over, if not quite to heal it.  You hinted that there might be something under L10 by and by accruing to me Devil’s Money.  You are sanguine—­say L7 10s.—­that I entirely renounce and abjure all future interest in, I insist upon it, and ‘by Him I will not name’ I won’t touch a penny of it.  That will split your loss one half—­and leave me conscientious possessor of what I hold.  Less than your assent to this, no proposal will I accept of.”