44小说网

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

LETTER 335（第1页）

一秒记住【m.xiaoyanwenxue.cc】精彩无弹窗免费！

“TheWorksofCharlesandMaryLamb—Volume6（.shg.tw）”

！

LETTER335

CHARLESLAMBTOROBERTSOUTHEY

E.I.H.，21stNovember，1823.

DEARSouthey，-Thekindnessofyournotehasmeltedawaythemistwhichwasuponme.Ihavebeenfightingagainstashadow.Thataccursed"

QuarterlyReview"

hadvexedmebyagratuitousspeaking，ofitsownknowledge，thatthe"

ConfessionsofaDrunkard"

wasagenuinedescriptionofthestateofthewriter.Littlethings，thatarenotillmeant，mayproducemuchill.Thatmighthaveinjuredmealiveanddead.Iaminapublicoffice，andmylifeisinsured.Iwaspreparedforanger，andIthoughtIsaw，inafewobnoxiouswords，ahardcaseofrepetitiondirectedagainstme.Iwishedbothmagazineandreviewatthebottomofthesea.Ishallbeashamedtoseeyou，andmysister（thoughinnocent）willbestillmoreso;forthefollywasdonewithoutherknowledge，andhasmadeheruneasyeversince.Myguardianangelwasabsentatthattime.

Iwillmusterupcouragetoseeyou，however，anydaynextweek（Wednesdayexcepted）.WeshallhopethatyouwillbringEdithwithyou.Thatwillbeasecondmortification.Shewillhatetoseeus;buteandheapembers.Wedeserveit，IforwhatIvedone，andsheforbeingmysister.

Doeearlyintheday，bysun-light，thatyoumayseemyMilton.

IamatColebrookCottage，ColebrookRow，Islington.Adetachedwhitishhouse，closetotheNewRiver，endofColebrookTerrace，lefthandfromSadlersWells.

Willyouletmeknowthedaybefore?

YourpenitentC.LAMB.

P.S.—IdonotthinkyourhandwritingatalllikeHunts.IdonotthinkmanythingsIdidthink.

[FortherightappreciationofthisletterEliasLettertoSoutheymustberead（seeVol.I.ofthepresentedition）.Itwashardhitting，andthoughLambwouldperhapshavebeenwiserhadheheldhishand，yetSoutheyhadtakenanoffensivelineofmoralsuperiorityandrebuke，andmuchthatwassaidbyLambwasjustified.

Southeysreplyranthus:—

MyDearLamb—OnMondayIsawyourletterintheLondonMagazine，whichIhadnotbeforehadanopportunityofseeing，andInowtakethefirstintervalofleisureforreplyingtoit.

NothingcouldbefurtherfrommymindthananyintentionorapprehensionofanywayoffendingorinjuringamanconcerningwhomIhaveneverspoken，thought，orfeltotherwisethanwithaffection，esteem，andadmiration.

Ifyouhadletmeknowinanyprivateorfriendlymannerthatyoufeltwoundedbyasentenceinwhichnothingbutkindnesswasintended—orthatyoufounditmightinjurethesaleofyourbook—IwouldmostreadilyandgladlyhaveinsertedanoteinthenextReviewtoqualifyandexplainwhathadhurtyou.

Youhavemadethisimpossible，andIamsorryforit.ButIwillnotengageincontroversywithyoutomakesportforthePhilistines.

Theprovocationmustbestrongindeedthatcanrousemetodothis，evenwithanenemy.AndifyoucanforgiveanunintendedoffenceasheartilyasIdothewayinwhichyouhaveresentedit，therewillbenothingtopreventourmeetingaswehaveheretoforedone，andfeelingtowardseachotheraswehavealwaysbeenwonttodo.

Onlysignifyacorrespondentwillingnessonyourpart，andsendmeyouraddress，andmyfirstbusinessnextweekshallbetoreachyourdoor，andshakehandswithyouandyoursister.Remembermetohermostkindlyandbelieveme—.Yours，withunabatedesteemandregards，RobertSouthey.

Thematterclosedwiththisexchangeofletters，andnohostilityremainedoneitherside.

LambsquarrelwiththeQuarterlybeganin1811，wheninareviewofWeberseditionofFordLambwasdescribedasa"

poormaniac."

Itwasrenewedin1814，whenhisarticleonWordsworthsExcursionwasmutilated.Itbrokeoutagainin1822，asLambsayshere，whenareviewerofReidstreatiseonHypochondriasisandotherNervousAffections（supposedtobeDr.Gooch，afriendofDr.HenrySoutheys）referredtoLambs"

ConfessionsofaDrunkard"

（seeVol.I.）asbeing，fromhisownknowledge，true.ThusLambspatiencewasnaturallyatbreakingpointwhenhisownfriendSoutheyattackedEliaafewnumberslater.

"

IdonotthinkyourhandwritingatalllikeHunts."

Lambhadsaid，intheLetter，ofLeighHunt:"

Hishand-writingissomuchthesamewithyourown，thatIhaveopenedmorethanoneletterofhis，hoping，nay，notdoubting，butitwasfromyou，andhavebeendisappointed（hewillbearwithmysayingso）atthediscoveryofmyerror."

]