Manning, by the way, contributed articles on Chinese jests to the New Monthly Magazine in 1826. A preliminary sketch of the second portion of this essay will be found in the letter to Coleridge dated March 9, 1822. See also the letters of Mr. and Mrs. Bruton, January 6, 1823, to Mrs. Collier, November 2, 1824, and to H. Dodwell, October 7, 1827, both in acknowledgment of pigs sent to Lamb probably from an impulse found in this essay. Later, Lamb abandoned the extreme position here taken. In the little essay entitled "Thoughts on Presents of Game," 1833 (see Vol. I., page 343), he says: "Time was, when Elia preferred to all a roasted pig. But he disclaims all such green-sickness appetites in future." The late Charles Kent, in his centenary edition of Lamb's works, printed these "Thoughts" next the "Dissertation," under the title "A Recantation." Page 120, ninth line from foot. Seventy thousand. An examination of the original MS. of this essay, which has been facsimiled in more than one edition of Lamb, inclines one to think that Lamb wrote "twenty." It is now in America. Page 120, seventh line from foot. Confucius. Here Lamb was inventing. Page 121, line 29. He tasted-crackling! At these words, in the London Magazine, came the sentence: "He stood in a posture of idiot wonder." Page 123, line 15. Like our Locke. John Locke, the philosopher (1632-1704), author of the Essay Concerning the Human Understanding. Page 123, lines 29, 30. Mundus edibilis princeps obsoniorum. "Of all the delicacies in the whole world of things to eat, I will maintain it to be the most delicate, the chief of tidbits." Page 123, line 34. Amor immunditiæ. "Love of dirt". -an allusion to original sin in the porcine Adam and Eve. Messrs. Page 124, line 11. Radiant jellies-shooting_stars. Hallward and Hill have this interesting note: "In Donne's Eclogues there is a reference to the superstition that shooting stars left jellies behind them where they fell:— As he that sees a star fall runs apace, Mr. W. J. Craig tells me that in Philemon Holland's translation of Pliny, Book XI., Chapter XII., is the suggestion that honey on the leaves at daybreak is "Either a certaine sweat of the skies, or some unctuous jelly proceeding from the stars." The belief is still popular in Ireland that the jelly-like fungoid growth on damp hillsides is caused by shooting stars. Page 124, line 18. Epitaph on an Infant "Ere sin could blight . ." From Coleridge's : Ere Sin could blight or Sorrow fade, Page 124, line 23. For such a tomb ... Lamb probably had in mind the final couplet from Milton's epitaph on Shakespeare:- And so sepulchred in such pomp dost lie, That kings for such a tomb would wish to die. Page 124, line 25. He is the best of Sapors. This sentence was printed as a quotation of verse in the London Magazine. The word sapor is probably from Sir Thomas Browne's vocabulary. Page 125, line 5. "Tame villatic fowl." A phrase from Milton's Samson Agonistes, line 1695. Page 125, line 9. Like Lear. Lear (to Regan). I gave you all. 'King Lear," Act II., Scene 4, line 253. Page 125, line 16. My good old aunt. Probably Aunt Hetty. See the essay on "Christ's Hospital," page 13, for another story of her. The phrase, "Over London Bridge," unless an invention, suggests that before this aunt went to live with the Lambs-probably not until they left the Temple in 1792-she was living on the Surrey side. But it was possibly an Elian mystification. Lamb had another aunt, but of her we know nothing. Page 126, line 7. St. Omer's. St. Omer's. The French Jesuit College. Lamb, it is unnecessary to say, was never there. Page 126. A BACHELOR'S COMplaint of the BEHAVIOUR OF MARRIED PEOPLE. It was This paper is, by many years, the earliest of the Elia essays. printed first in The Reflector, No. IV., in 1811 or 1812. When Lamb brought his Works together, in 1818, he omitted it. In September, 1822, it appeared in the London Magazine as one of the reprints of Lamb's earlier writings, of which the "Confessions of a Drunkard" (see Vol. I., page 133, and note) was the first. In that number also appeared the "Dissertation upon Roast Pig" (see page 120), thereby offering the reader an opportunity of comparing Lamb's style in 1811 with his riper and richer style of 1822. The germ of the essay must have been long in Lamb's mind, for we find him writing to Hazlitt in 1805 concerning Mrs. Rickman: "A good-natured woman though, which is as much as you can expect from a friend's wife, whom you got acquainted with as a bachelor.' The essay in The Reflector began thus: "Mr. Reflector, I am a single man not quite turned of forty, who have spent . . ." and so forth. There were other slight changes. In The Reflector "joke (page 128, line 4) was "jest." To "Morellas" (page 131, line 40) was this footnote: "I don't know how to spell this word; I mean Morella cherries." The signature was Innuptus.' When reprinted in the London Magazine the letter ended with "Your humble servant, Elia." There are several other small differences. Page 128, line 27. "Like as the arrows " See Psalms cxxvii. 4, 5. They are slightly altered to the words as Lamb gives them, in the Prayer-book. Page 129, line 5. Fallacies," page 266, Page 129, line 24. of 1 Corinthians xv. glory." Page 130, line 30. "Love me, love my dog." See "Popular One daisy differs . . . A recollection probably 41: "One star differeth from another star in "Decent affection and complacent kindness." Decent affection and complacent kindness Were all I wished for. Page 131, line 26. Oysters. Home's "Douglas," Act I., Scene 1. The Reflector added: "which she had opened out of compliment to me." Page 132. ON SOME OF THE OLD ACTORS. In February, 1822, Lamb began a series of three articles in the London Magazine on "The Old Actors." The second was printed in April and the third in October of the same year. Afterwards, in reprinting them in Elia, he rearranged them into the essays, "On Some of the Old Actors," "On the Artificial Comedy of the Last Century," and "On the Acting of Munden," omitting a considerable portion altogether. The essay in its original tripart form will be found in the Appendix to this volume. In one of his theatrical notices in The Examiner (see Vol. I., page 186) Lamb remarks, "Defunct merit comes out upon us strangely," and certain critics believe that he praised some of the old actors beyond their deserts. But no one can regret any such excesses. Page 132, line 9. Twelfth Night. When recalling early playgoing days in "Old China" (page 250), Lamb refers again to this play Viola in Illyria. Page 132, lines 15 to 19. Whitfield, Packer, Benson, Burton, Phillimore and Barrymore. Whitfield, who made his London début as Trueman in "George Barnwell" about 1776, was a useful man at Covent Garden and Drury Lane.-John Hayman Packer (1730-1806), known in Lamb's time for his old men. He acted at Drury Lane until 1805.-Benson, who married a sister of Mrs. Stephen Kemble, wrote one or two plays, and was a good substitute in emergencies. He committed suicide during brain fever in 1796.-Burton was a creditable utility actor at Covent Garden and Drury Lane.-Phillimore filled small parts at Drury Lane.-Barrymore was of higher quality, a favourite character actor both at Drury Lane and the Haymarket. Page 132, line 22. Mrs. Jordan. Mrs. Jordan, born in 1762, ceased to act in England in 1814 and died in 1816. Nell was her famous part, in Coffey's "The Devil to Pay." Miss Hoyden is in Vanbrugh's Relapse." Lamb is referring to Viola in Act I., Scene 5, and Act II., Scene 4, of "Twelfth Night.' 66 Page 133, line 10. Mrs. Powel. Mrs. Powel, previously known as Mrs. Farmer, and afterwards Mrs. Renaud, was at Drury Lane from 1788 to 1811. She ended her London career in 1816 and died in 1829. Page 133, line 24. Of all the actors. The London Magazine article began at this point (see page 279). Robert Bensley (1738 ?1817?) was at Drury Lane from 1775 to 1796, when he retired (alternating it with the Haymarket). G. H. Boaden and George Colman both bear out Lamb's eulogy of Bensley as Malvolio; but otherwise he is not the subject of much praise. Page 133, line 30. Fine madness. Lamb was perhaps thinking of Drayton's lines on Marlowe in his poem "To my Friend Henry Reynolds, of Poets and Poesy" Of Marlowe, bathed in the Thespian springs, For that fine madness still he did retain Page 133, line 30. Hotspur's . . . rant. Act I., Scene 3, line 201, etc. :— By heaven, methinks it were an easy leap See "1 Henry IV.," To pluck bright honour from the pale-faced moon, Where fathom-line could never touch the ground, Page 133, line 31. Venetian incendiary. Pierre in Otway's "Venice Preserved." Lamb appended the passage in a footnote in the London Magazine (see page 279). Page 134, line 7. Mine Ancient. Iago. Page 134, line 7. Barren spectators. See Hamlet's speech to the players, Act III., Scene 2, line 45. Page 134, line 23. Baddeley. Parsons. John Kemble. Robert Baddeley (1733-1794), the husband of Mrs. Baddeley, and the original Moses in the "School for Scandal.” William Parsons (17361795), the original Crabtree in the "School for Scandal,” and a favourite actor of Lamb's. John Philip Kemble (1757-1823), who managed Drury Lane from 1788 to 1801. Page 134, line 42. Of birth and feeling. In the London Magazine a footnote came here (see page 280). Length of service. Page 135, line 1. footnote came here (see page 280). Page 135, line 26. Consonancy. In the London Magazine a Malvolio says of the letter: "There is no consonancy in the sequel" ("Twelfth Night," Act II., Page 136, line 14. "Stand still, ye watches Stand still, you watches of the element; Page 136, line 22. Page 136, line 23. famous in old comedy House." Page 136, line 26. Marlowe's" Edward II.," Act V., Scene 1, lines 66, 68. Dodd. James William Dodd (1740?-1796). Lovegrove. William Lovegrove (1778-1816), parts and as Peter Fidget in "The Boarding In puris naturalibus. "Naked." Page 136, at foot. The gardens of Gray's Inn. These gardens are said to have been laid out under the supervision of Bacon, who retained his chambers in the Inn until his death. As Dodd died in 1796 and Lamb wrote in 1822, it would be fully twenty-six years and perhaps more since Lamb met him. Page 137, lines 21-23. Foppington, etc. Foppington in Vanbrugh's "Relapse," Tattle in Congreve's "Love for Love," Backbite in Sheridan's "School for Scandal," Acres in "The Rivals by the same author, and Fribble in Garrick's "Miss in her Teens." " Paradise Lost, III., lines 478, 479. Page 138, line 3. If few can remember. The praise of Suett that follows is interpolated here from the third part of Lamb's original essay (see page 295). Richard Suett, who had been a Westminster chorister (not St. Paul's), left the stage in June, 1805, and died in July. Page 138, line 14. Like Sir John-Falstaff (see "1 Henry IV.," Act I., Scene 2, line Page 138, line 17. 213). "Commerce with the skies." And looks commercing with the skies. Page 138. Milton, Il Penseroso, line 39. Footnote. Jem White. See note on page 382. Charles Mathews (1776 From Dryden's lines Page 139, line 2. 1835), whom Lamb knew (see note on page 462). on Milton, "Under Mr. Milton's Picture before his 'Paradise Lost.' "Thorough brake . . .' Robin Goodfellow in Page 139, line 13. the "Midsummer-Night's Dream," Act II., Scene 1. Page 139, line 21. the stage in 1815. Jack Bannister. John Bannister retired from He died in 1836. Page 139, line 26. Children in the Wood. Morton's play, of which Lamb was so fond. It is mentioned again in "Barbara S" and "Old China." Page 139, line 27. As Shakspeare says. Love is too young to know what conscience is. Page 139, line 29. Sonnet 151. Vesta's days. Vesta, goddess of fire, who gave her name to the vestal virgins. |