Authors, English -- 19th century -- Correspondence; Lamb, Charles, 1775-1834 -- Correspondence
We have got our books into our new house. I am a dray-horse if I was not
ashamed of the indigested, dirty lumber, as I toppled 'em out of the
cart, and blessed Becky that came with 'em for her having an unstuffed
brain with such rubbish. We shall get in by Michael's Mass. 'T was with
some pain we were evulsed from Colebrooke.
You may find some of our flesh sticking to the doorposts. To change
habitations is to die to them; and in my time I have died seven deaths.
But I don't know whether every such change does not bring with it a
rejuvenescence. 'T is an enterprise, and shoves back the sense of
death's approximating, which, though not terrible to me, is at all times
particularly distasteful. My house-deaths have generally been
periodical, recurring after seven years; but this last is premature by
half that time. Cut off in the flower of Colebrooke! The Middletonian
stream and all its echoes mourn. Even minnows dwindle. _A parvis
fiunt minimi!_
I fear to invite Mrs. Hood to our new mansion, lest she should envy it,
and hate us. But when we are fairly in, I hope she will come and try it. I
heard she and you were made uncomfortable by some unworthy-to-be-cared-for
attacks, and have tried to set up a feeble counteraction through the
"Table Book" of last Saturday. Has it not reached you, that you are
silent about it? Our new domicile is no manor-house, but new, and
externally not inviting, but furnished within with every convenience,--
capital new locks to every door, capital grates in every room, with
nothing to pay for incoming, and the rent £10 less than the Islington one.
It was built, a few years since, at £1,100 expense, they tell me, and I
perfectly believe it. And I get it for £35, exclusive of moderate taxes.
We think ourselves most lucky.
It is not our intention to abandon Regent Street and West End
perambulations (monastic and terrible thought!), but occasionally to
breathe the fresher air of the metropolis. We shall put up a bedroom or
two (all we want) for occasional ex-rustication, where we shall
visit,--not be visited. Plays, too, we'll see,--perhaps our own; Urbani
Sylvani and Sylvan Urbanuses in turns; courtiers for a sport, then
philosophers; old, homely tell-truths and learn-truths in the virtuous
shades of Enfield, liars again and mocking gibers in the coffee-houses
and resorts of London. What can a mortal desire more for his
bi-parted nature?
Oh, the curds-and-cream you shall eat with us here!
Oh, the turtle-soup and lobster-salads we shall devour with you there!
Oh, the old books we shall peruse here!
Oh, the new nonsense we shall trifle over there!
Oh, Sir T. Browne, here!
Oh, Mr. Hood and Mr. Jerdan, there!
Thine,
C. (URBANUS) L. (SYLVANUS)--(Elia ambo).
[1] By Charles Cotton.
XCVII.
TO P. G. PATMORE.
_September_, 1827.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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