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LETTER 316（第1页）

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“TheWorksofCharlesandMaryLamb—Volume6（.shg.tw）”

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LETTER316

CHARLESLAMBTOSARAHHUTCHINSON

[P.M.April25，1823.]

DearMissH——，Maryhassuchaninvinciblereluctancetoanyepistolaryexertion，thatIamsparingheramortificationbytakingthepenfromher.Theplaintruthis，shewritessuchapimping，mean，detestablehand，thatsheisashamedoftheformationofherletters.Thereisanessentialpovertyandabjectnessintheframeofthem.Theylooklikebeggingletters.Andthensheissuretoomitamostsubstantialwordintheseconddraught（forsheneverventuresanepistle，withoutafoulcopyfirst）whichisobligedtobeinterlined，whichspoilstheneatestepistle，youknow[theword"

epistle"

isunderlined）.Herfigures，1，2，3，4，&c.，whereshehasoccasiontoexpressnumerals，asinthedate（25Apr1823），arenotfigures，butFigurantes.Andthebinedpossegostaggeringupanddownshamelessasdrunkardsinthedaytime.Itisnobetterwhensherulesherpaper，herlinesare"

notlesserring"

thanherwords—asortofunnaturalparallellines，thatareperpetuallythreateningtomeet，whichyouknowisquitecontrarytoEuclid[hereLambhasruledlinesgrosslyunparallel].Herveryblotsarenotboldlikethis[hereaboldblot]，butpoorsmears[hereapoorsmear]halfleftinandhalfscratchedoutwithanothersmearleftintheirplace.Ilikeacleanletter.Aboldfreehand，andafearlessflourish.Thenshehasalwaystogothrothem（asecondoperation）todotheris，andcrossherts.Idontthinkshecanmakeacorkscrew，ifshetried—whichhassuchafineeffectattheendormiddleofanepistle—andfillsup—

[HereLambhasmadeacorkscrewtwoincheslong.]

Thereisacorkscrew，oneofthebestIeverdrew.BythewaywhatinparablewhiskeythatwasofMonkhouses.ButifIamtowritealetter，letmebegin，andnotstandflourishinglikeafenceratafair.

Itgivesmegreatpleasure（theletternowbegins）tohearthatyougotdownsmoothly，andthatMrs.Monkhousesspiritsaresogoodandenterprising.Itshews，whateverherposturemaybe，thathermindatleastisnotsupine.Ihopetheexcursionwillenabletheformertokeeppacewithitsout-strippingneighbor.Praypresentourkindestwishestoher，andall.（ThatsentenceshouldproperlyhaveeinthePostScript，butweairyMercurialSpirits，thereisnokeepingusin）.Time—aswassaidofoneofus—toilsafterusinvain.Iamafraidourco-visitwithColeridgewasadream.Ishallnotgetawaybeforetheend（ormiddle）ofJune，andthenyouwillbefrog-hoppingatBoulogne.AndbesidesIthinktheGilmanswouldscarcetrusthimwithus，Ihaveamaliciousknackatcuttingofapronstrings.TheSaintsdaysyouspeakofhavelongsincefledtoheaven，withAstraea，andthecoldpietyoftheagelacksfervortorecallthem—onlyPeterlefthiskey—theirononeofthetwo，thatshutsamain—andthatsthereasonIamlockdup.MeanwhileofafternoonswepickupprimrosesatDalston，andMarycorrectsmewhenIcallemcowslips.Godblessyouall，andprayremembermeeuphoneouslytoMr.Gnwellegan.ThatLeePriorymustbeadaintybower，isitbuiltofflints，anddoesitstandatKingsgate?Didyouremem

[Thisisapparentlytheproperendoftheletter.Atleastthereisnoindicationofanothersheet.]

[Addressedto"

MissHutchinson，17SionHill，Ramsgate，Kent，"

whereshewasstayingwithMrs.Monkhouse.Igiveafacsimileofitinmylargeedition.

"

Time—aswassaidofoneofus."

JohnsonwroteofShakespeare，inthePrologueattheopeningofDruryLaneTheatrein1747:—

AndpantingTimetoildafterhiminvain.

"

TheSaintsdays."

SeenotetothelettertoMrs.Wordsworth，Feb.18，1818.

"

Mr.Gnwellegan."

ProbablyLambsefforttowritethenameofEdwardQuillinan，afterwardsWordsworthsson-in-law，whosefirstwifehadbeenaMissBrydgesofLeePriory.

"

LeePriory"

—thehomeofSirEgertonBrydges，atIckham，nearCanterbury，forsomeyears.Hehad，however，nowleft，andtheprivatepresswasclosed.

InNotesandQueries，November11，1876，wasprintedthefollowingscrap，apostscriptbyCharlesLambtoaletterfromMaryLambtoMissH.Iplaceithere，havingnoclueastodate，nordoesitmatter:—]