LETTER 89
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“TheWorksofCharlesandMaryLamb—Volume5(.shg.tw)”
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LETTER89
CHARLESLAMBTOTHOMASMANNING
[P.M.August31,1801.]
IheardthatyouweregoingtoChina,withamissionfromtheWedgwoodstocollecthintsfortheirpottery,andtoteachtheChineseperspective.ButIdidnotknowthatLondonlayinyourwaytoPekin.Iamseriouslygladofit,forIshalltroubleyouwithasmallpresentfortheEmperorofUsbeckTartary,asyougobyhisterritories:itisafragmentofa"
DissertationonthestateofpoliticalpartiesinEnglandattheendoftheeighteenthcentury,"
whichwillnodoubtbeveryinterestingtohisImperialMajesty.ItwaswrittenoriginallyinEnglishfortheuseofthetwoandtwentyreadersof"
TheAlbion"
(thiscalculationincludesaprinter,fourpressmen,andadevil);butbeingofnousewhen"
TheAlbion"
stopped,IgotittranslatedintoUsbeckTartarbymygoodfriendTibetKulm,whoisetoLondonwithacivilinvitationfromtheChamtotheEnglishnationtogoovertotheworshipoftheLama.
"
TheAlbion"
isdead—deadasnailindoor—andmyrevenueshavediedwithit;butIamnotasamanwithouthope.Ihavegotasortofopeningtothe"
MorningChronicle,"
!!!MisterManning,bymeansofthatmondispenserofbenevolence,MisterDyer.IhavenotseenPerrytheeditoryet:butIampreparingaspecimen.Ishallhaveadifficultjobtomanage,foryoumustknowthatMisterPerry,inmonwiththegreatbodyoftheWhigs,thinks"
TheAlbion"
verylow.IfindImustriseapegorso,bealittlemoredecentandlessabusive;for,toconfessthetruth,Ihadarrivedtoanabominablepitch;Isparedneitheragenorsexwhenmycuewasgivenme.Nimporte(astheysayinFrench):anyclimatewillsuitme.Soyouareabouttobringyouroldface-makingfacetoLondon.Youcouldnoteinabettertimeformypurposes;forIhavejustlostRickman,afaintideaofwhosecharacterIsentyou.HeisgonetoIrelandforayearortwo,tomakehisfortune;andIhavelostbyhisgoing,what[it]seemstomeIcanneverrecover—afinishedman.HismemorywillbetomeasthebrazenserpenttotheIsraelites,—Ishalllookuptoit,tokeepmeuprightandhonest.ButhemayyetbringbackhishonestfacetoEnglandoneday.IwishyouraffairswiththeEmperorofChinahadnotbeensourgent,thatyoumighthavestayedinGreatBritainayearortwolonger,tohaveseenhim;for,judgingfrommyownexperience,Ialmostdarepronounceyouneversawhisequal.Ineversawamanthatcouldbeatallasecondorsubstituteforhiminanysort.
Imaginethatwhatishereerasedwasanapologyandexplanation,perfectlysatisfactoryyoumaybesure!forratingthismansohighlyattheexpenseof——,and——,and——,andM——,and——,and——,and——.ButMisterBurkehasexplainedthisphenomenonofournatureveryprettilyinhislettertoaMemberoftheNationalAssembly,orelseinhisAppealtotheoldWhigs,Iforgetwhich.Doyourememberaninstance,fromHomer(whounderstoodthesematterstolerablywell)ofPriamdrivingawayhisothersonswithexpressionsofwrathandbitterreproach,whenHectorwasjustdead.
IlivewhereIdid,inaprivatemanner,becauseIdontlikestate.Nothingissodisagreeabletomeastheclamoursandapplausesofthemob.ForthisreasonIliveinanobscuresituationinoneofthecourtsoftheTemple.
C.L.
[ManninghadtakenupChineseatCambridge,andin1800hehadmovedto
ParistostudythelanguageunderDr.Hagan.Hedidnot,however,goto
Chinauntil1806.TheWedgwoodswereColeridgespatrons.Lambs
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