首页>The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 5 > LETTER 89

LETTER 89

目录

一秒记住【xiaoyanwenxue】精彩无弹窗免费!

“TheWorksofCharlesandMaryLamb—Volume5(.shg.tw)”

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

本章未完,点击下一页继续阅读



返回顶部