Works of Charles and Mary Lamb. VI-VII. Letters
Charles Lamb to Bernard Barton, 23 March 1825
[p.m. March 23, 1825.]
Wednesday.
DEAR B. B.—I
have had no impulse to write, or attend to any single object but myself, for
weeks past. My single self. I by myself I. I am sick of hope deferred. The
grand wheel is in agitation that is to turn up my Fortune, but round it rolls
and will turn up nothing. I have a glimpse of Freedom, of becoming a Gentleman
at large, but I am put off from day to day. I have offered my resignation, and
it is neither accepted nor rejected. Eight weeks am I kept in this fearful
suspence. Guess what an absorbing stake I feel it. I am not conscious of the
existence of friends present or absent. The E. I. Directors alone can be that
thing to me—or not.—
I have just learn’d that nothing will be decided this
week. Why the next? Why any week? It has fretted me into an itch of the
fingers, I rub ’em against Paper and write to you, rather than not allay
this Scorbuta.
While I can write, let me adjure you to have no doubts of
Irving. Let Mr. Mitford drop his disrespect.
Irving has prefixed ![]()
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a dedication (of a
Missionary Subject 1st part) to Coleridge, the most beautiful cordial and sincere. He there
acknowledges his obligation to S. T. C. for his knowledge
of Gospel truths, the nature of a Xtian Church, etc., to the talk of
S. T. C. (at whose Gamaliel feet
he sits weekly) [more] than to that of all the men living. This from him—The
great dandled and petted Sectarian—to a religious character so equivocal in the
world’s Eye as that of S. T. C., so foreign to the
Kirk’s estimate!—Can this man be a Quack? The language is as affecting as
the Spirit of the Dedication. Some friend told him, “This dedication
will do you no Good,” i.e. not in the
world’s repute, or with your own People. “That is a reason for
doing it,” quoth Irving.
I am thoroughly pleased with him. He is firm, outspeaking,
intrepid—and docile as a pupil of Pythagoras.
You must like him.
Yours, in tremors of painful hope,
Bernard Barton (1784-1849)
Prolific Quaker poet whose verse appeared in many of the literary annuals; he was an
acquaintance of Charles Lamb.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)
English poet and philosopher who projected
Lyrical Ballads (1798)
with William Wordsworth; author of
Biographia Literaria (1817),
On the Constitution of the Church and State (1829) and other
works.
Edward Irving (1792-1834)
Popular Presbyterian preacher in London; he was a friend of Coleridge and author of
The Oracles of God and the Judgement to Come (1823).
John Mitford (1781-1859)
Educated at Oriel College, Oxford, he was rector of Benhall in Suffolk, a friend of
Charles Lamb and Samuel Rogers. He was a book collector and editor of the
Gentleman's Magazine (1834-50).
Pythagoras (570 BC c.-495 BC c.)
Greek philosopher and geometrician, born at Samos, who taught the doctrine of the
transmigration of souls.
