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LETTER 68（第1页）

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“TheWorksofCharlesandMaryLamb—Volume5（.shg.tw）”

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LETTER68

CHARLESLAMBTOTHOMASMANNING

[P.M.Sept.22，1800.]

DearManning，—Youneedednotimagineanyapologynecessary.Yourfinehareandfinebirds（whichjustnowaredanglingbyourkitchenblaze）discoursemosteloquentmusicinyourjustification.Youjustnickedmypalate.For，withallduedecorumandleavemayitbespoken，myworshiphathtakenphysicforhisbodyto-day，andbeinglowandpuling，requirethtobepampered.Foh!howbeautifulandstrongthosebutteredonionsetomynose!Foryoumustknowweextractadivinespiritofgravyfromthosematerialswhich，dulypoundedwithaconsistenceofbreadandcream（ycleptbread-sauce），eachtoeachgivingdoublegrace，domutuallyillustrateandsetoff（asskilfulgoldfoilstorarejewels）yourpartridge，pheasant，woodcock，snipe，teal，widgeon，andtheotherlesserdaughtersoftheark.Myfriendship，strugglingwithmycarnalandfleshlyprudence（whichsuggeststhatabirdamanistheproperallotmentinsuchcases），yearnethsometimestohavetheeheretopickawingorso.IquestionifyourNorfolksaucesmatchourLondonculinaric.

GeorgeDyerhasintroducedmetothetableofanagreeableoldgentleman，Dr.Anderson，whogiveshotlegsofmuttonandgrapepiesathissylvanlodgeatIsleworth，where，inthemiddleofastreet，hehasshotupawallmostpreposterouslybeforehissmalldwelling，which，withthecircumstanceofhistakingseveralpanesofglassoutofbedroomwindows（forair），causethhisneighbourstospeculatestrangelyonthestateofthegoodmanspericranicks.Plainly，helivesunderthereputationofbeingderanged.Georgedoesnotmindthiscircumstance;heratherlikeshimthebetterforit.TheDoctor，inhispursuits，joinsagriculturaltopoeticalscience，andhassetGeorgesbrainsmadabouttheoldScotchwriters，Harbour，DouglassAeneid，BlindHarry，&c.Wereturnedhomeinareturnpostchaise（havingdinedwiththeDoctor），andGeorgekeptwonderingandwondering，foreightornineturnpikemiles，whatwasthename，andstrivingtorecollectthename，ofapoetanteriortoBarbour.Ibeggedtoknowwhatwasremainingofhisworks."

Thereisnothingextantofhisworks，Sir，butbyallaccountsheseemstohavebeenafinegenius!"

Thisfinegenius，withoutanythingtoshowforitoranytitlebeyondGeorgescourtesy，withoutevenaname!andBarbour，andDouglas，andBlindHarry，nowarethepredominantsoundsinGeorgespiamater，andtheirbuzzingsexcludepolitics，criticism，andalgebra—thelatelordsofthatillustriouslumber-room.Mark，hehasneverreadanyofthesebucks，butisimpatienttillhereadsthemallattheDoctorssuggestion.PoorDyer!hisfriendsshouldbecarefulwhatsparkstheyletfallintosuchinflammablematter.

CouldIhavemywilloftheheathen，Iwouldlockhimupfromallaccessofnewideas;Iwouldexcludeallcriticsthatwouldnotswearmefirst（upontheirVirgil）thattheywouldfeedhimwithnothingbuttheold，safe，familiarnotionsandsounds（therightfulaboriginesofhisbrain）—Gray，AkensideandMason.Inthesesounds，reiteratedasoftenaspossible，therecouldbenothingpainful，nothingdistracting.

Godblessme，herearethebirds，smokinghot!

Allthatisgrossandunspiritualinmerisesatthesight!

Avauntfriendshipandallmemoryofabsentfriends!

C.LAMB.

["

Divinespiritofgravy."

ThispassageisthefirstofLambsoutburstsofgustatoryecstasy，afterwardstobeefrequentinhiswritings.

Hereshouldealetter，datedOctober9，1800，intherichestspiritofedy，describingtoColeridgeaneveningwithGeorgeDyerandtheCottlesafterthedeathoftheirbrotherAmos;andhowLamb，bypraisingJosephCottlespoem，drewawaythatgoodmansthoughtsfromhisgrief."

Joseph，whotillnowhadsatwithhiskneescoweringinbythefireplace，wheeledabout，andwithgreatdifficultyofbodyshiftedthesameroundtothecornerofatablewhereIwassitting，andfirststationingonethighovertheother，whichishissedentarymood，andplacidlyfixinghisbenevolentfacerightagainstmine，waitedmyobservations.Atthatmomentitcamestronglyintomymind，thatIhadgotUncleTobybeforeme，helookedsokindandsogood."

Theletter，printedinfullinothereditions，is，Iamgiventounderstand，notavailableforthis.]