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LETTER 96（第1页）

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“TheWorksofCharlesandMaryLamb—Volume5（.shg.tw）”

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LETTER96

CHARLESLAMBTOTHOMASMANNING

[Nodate.?EndofApril，1802.]

MydearManning，—Althoughsomethingofthelatest，andaftertwomonthswaiting，yourletterwashighlygratifying.Somepartswantalittleexplication;forexample，"

thegod-likefaceoftheFirstConsul."

Whatgoddoeshemostresemble?Mars，Bacchus，orApollo?orthegodSerapiswho，flying（asEgyptianchroniclesdeliver）fromthefuryofthedogAnubis（thehieroglyphofanEnglishmastiff），lightedonMonomotapa（orthelandofapes），bysomethoughttobeOldFrance，andtheresetupatyranny，&c.OurLondonprintsofhimrepresenthimgloomyandsulky，likeanangryJupiter.Ihearthatheisverysmall，evenlessthanme，whoam"

lessthantheleastofthetles，"

atleastthantheyarepaintedintheVatican.Ienvyyouyouraccesstothisgreatman，muchmorethanyourséancesandconversaziones，whichIhaveashrewdsuspicionmustbesomethingdull.WhatyouassertconcerningtheactorsofParis，thattheyexceedouredians，"

badasoursare，"

isimpossible.Inonesenseitmaybetrue，thattheirfinegentlemen，inwhatiscalledgenteeledy，maypossiblybemorebriskanddégagéthanMr.CaulfieldorMr.Whitfield;buthaveanyofthemthepowertomovelaughterinexcess?orcanaFrenchmanlaugh?Cantheybatteratyourjudiciousribstilltheyshake，nothingbothtobesoshaken?ThisisJohnBullscriterion，anditshallbemine.YouareFrenchified.Bothyourtastesandmoralsarecorruptandperverted.By-and-byyouwilletoassert，thatBuonaparteisasgreatageneralastheoldDukeofCumberland，anddenythatoneEnglishmancanbeatthreeFrenchmen.Read"

HenrytheFifth"

torestoreyourorthodoxy.Allthingscontinueatastay-stillinLondon.Icannotrepayyournewnoveltieswithmystalereminiscences.Liketheprodigal，Ihavespentmypatrimony，andfeeduponthesuperannuatedchaffanddryhusksofrepentance;yetsometimesIrememberwithpleasurethehoundsandhorses，whichIkeptinthedaysofmyprodigality.Ifindnothingnew，noranythingthathassomuchoftheglossanddazzleofnovelty，asmayreboundinnarrative，andcastareflectiveglimmeracrossthechannel.SomethingIwillsayaboutpeoplethatyouandIknow.Fenwickisstillindebt，andtheProfessorhasnotdonemakinglovetohisnewspouse.Ithinkheneverlooksintoanalmanack，orhewouldhavefoundbythecalendarthatthehoneymoonwasextinctamoonago.Lloydhaswrittentomeandnamesyou.IthinkaletterfromMaisonMagnan（isthatapersonorathing?）wouldgratifyhim.G.DyerisinlovewithanIdeotwholovesaDoctor，whoisincapableoflovinganythingbuthimself.ApuzzlingcircleofperverseProvidences!Amazeasun-get-out-again-ableastheHousewhichJackbuilt.SoutheyisSecretarytotheChancelloroftheIrishExchequer;￡400ayear.StoddartisturnedDoctorofCivilLaw，anddwellsinDoctorsCommons.Ifearhismonsareshort，astheysay.DidIsendyouanepitaphIscribbleduponapoorgirlwhodiedatnineteen，agoodgirlandaprettygirl，andaclevergirl，butstrangelyneglectedbyallherfriendsandkin?

"

Underthiscoldmarblestone

Sleepthesadremainsofone

Who，whenalive，byfewornone

Wasloved，aslovedshemighthavebeen，

Ifsheprosperousdayshadseen，

Orhadthrivingbeen，Iween.

Onlythiscoldfuneralstone

Tellsshewasbelovedbyone，

Whoonthemarblegraveshismoan."

Brief，andpretty，andtender，isitnot?Isendyouthis，beingtheonlypieceofpoetryIhavedone，sincethemusesallwentwithT.M.toParis.Ihaveneitherstuffinmybrain，norpaperinmydrawer，towriteyoualongerletter.Liquorandpanyandwickedtobaccoanights，havequitedispericraniatedme，asonemaysay;butyouwhospiritualiseuponChampagnemaycontinuetowritelongletters，andstuffemwithamusementtotheend.Toolongtheycannotbe，anymorethanacodiciltoawillwhichleavesmesundryparksandmanorsnotspecifiedinthedeed.Butdontbetwomonthsbeforeyouwriteagain.ThesefrommerryoldEngland，onthedayofhervaliantpatronSt.George.

C.LAMB.

[Thisletterisusuallydated1803，butIfeelsureitshouldbe1802.SoutheyhadgivenuphisIrishappointmentinthatyear，andGodwinshoneymoonbeganinDecember，1801.

"

Evenlessthanme."

Mr.W.C.HazlittgivesinMaryandCharlesLambavividimpressionofLambssparefigure.AfarmeratWidford，Mr.CharlesTween，himselfnotabigman，toldMr.HazlittthatwhenwalkingoutwithLambhewouldplacehishandsunderhisarmandlifthimoverthestilesasifitwerenothing.Napoleonsheightwas5feet6or7inches.

ThomasCaulfield，abrotheroftheantiquaryandprint-seller，JamesCaulfield，wasaedianandmimicatDruryLane;WhitfieldwasanactoratDruryLane，wholatermovedtoCoventGarden.

"

Anepitaph."

TheselineswerewrittenuponafriendofRickmans，MaryDruittofWimborne.TheywereprintedintheMorningPostforFebruary7，1804，signedC.L.Seelater.]