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LETTER 284（第1页）

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“TheWorksofCharlesandMaryLamb—Volume6（.shg.tw）”

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LETTER284

CHARLESLAMBTOWILLIAMWORDSWORTH

20thMarch，1822.

MydearWordsworth—Aletterfromyouisverygrateful，IhavenotseenaKendalpostmarksolong!Weareprettywellsavecoldsandrheumatics，andacertaindeadnesstoeverything，whichIthinkImaydatefrompoorJohnsLoss，andanotheraccidentortwoatthesametime，thathasmademealmostburymyselfatDalston，whereyetIseemorefacesthanIcouldwish.Deathsover-setoneandputoneoutlongaftertherecentgrief.Twoorthreehavediedwithinthislasttwotwelvemths，andsomanypartsofmehavebeennumbed.Oneseesapicture，readsananecdote，startsacasualfancy，andthinkstotellofittothispersoninpreferencetoeveryother—thepersonisgonewhomitwouldhavepeculiarlysuited.Itwontdoforanother.Everydeparturedestroysaclassofsympathies.TheresCapt.Burneygone!—whatfunhaswhistnow?whatmattersitwhatyoulead，ifyoucannolongerfancyhimlookingoveryou?Oneneverhearsanything，buttheimageoftheparticularpersonoccurswithwhomalonealmostyouwouldcaretosharetheintelligence.Thusonedistributesoneselfabout—andnowforsomanypartsofmeIhavelostthemarket.Commonnaturesdonotsufficeme.Goodpeople，astheyarecalled，wontserve.Iwantindividuals.IammadeupofqueerpointsandIwantsomanyansweringneedles.Thegoingawayoffriendsdoesnotmaketheremaindermoreprecious.Ittakessomuchfromthemastherewasamonlink.A.B.andC.makeaparty.A.dies.B.notonlylosesA.butallA.spartinC.C.losesA.spartinB.，andsothealphabetsickensbysubtractionofinterchangeables.Iexpressmyselfmuddily，capitedolente.Ihaveadullingcold.Mytheoryistoenjoylife，butthepracticeisagainstit.Igrowominouslytiredofofficialconfinement.ThirtyyearshaveIservedthePhilistines，andmyneckisnotsubduedtotheyoke.Youdontknowhowwearisomeitistobreathetheairoffourpentwallswithoutreliefdayafterday，allthegoldenhoursofthedaybetween10and4withouteaseorinterposition.Taedetmeharum"

idianarumformarum，thesepestilentialclerkfacesalwaysinonesdish.Oforafewyearsbetweenthegraveandthedesk!theyarethesame，savethatatthelatteryouareoutsidethemachine.Thefoulenchanter—lettersfourdoformhisname—Busiraneishisnameinhell—thathascurtailedyouofsomedomesticforts，hathlaidaheavierhandonme，notinpresentinfliction，butintakingawaythehopeofenfranchisement.IdarenotwhispertomyselfaPensiononthissideofabsoluteincapacitationandinfirmity，tillyearshavesuckedmedry.Otiumcumindignitate.Ihadthoughtinagreenoldage（Ogreenthought!）tohaveretiredtoPondersEnd—emblematicnamehowbeautiful!intheWareroad，theretohavemadeupmyaccountswithHeavenandtheCompany，toddlingaboutbetweenitandCheshunt，anonstretchingonsomefineIzaacWaltonmorningtoHoddesdonorAmwell，carelessasaBeggar，butwalking，walkingever，tillIfairlywalkdmyselfoffmylegs，dyingwalking!

Thehopeisgone.IsitlikePhilomelallday（butnotsinging）withmybreastagainstthisthornofaDesk，withtheonlyhopethatsomePulmonaryafflictionmayrelieveme.VideLordPalmerstonsreportoftheClerksinthewaroffice（Debates，thismorningsTimes）bywhichitappearsin20years，asmanyClerkshavebeencoughdandcatarrhdoutofitintotheirfreergraves.

ThankyouforaskingaboutthePictures.MiltonhangsovermyfiresideinCovt.Card，（whenIamthere），theresthavebeensoldforanoldsong，wantingtheeloquenttonguethatshouldhavesetthemoff!

YouhavegratifydmewithlikingmymeetingwithDodd.FortheMalvoliostory—thethingisbeeinverityasadtaskandIekeitoutwithanything.IfIcouldslipoutofitIshdbehappy，butourchiefreputedassistantshaveforsakenus.Theopiumeatercrossedusoncewithadazzlingpath，andhathassuddenlyleftusdarkling;andinshortIshallgoonfromdulltoworse，becauseIcannotresisttheBooksellersimportunity—theoldpleayouknowofauthors，butIbelieveonmypartsincere.

HartleyIdonotsooftensee，butIneverseehiminunwelehour.Ithoroughlyloveandhonorhim.

IsendyouafrozenEpistle，butitiswinteranddeadtimeoftheyearwithme.Mayheavenkeepsomethinglikespringandsummerupwithyou，strengthenyoureyesandmakeminealittlelightertoencounterwiththem，asIhopetheyshallyetandagain，beforeallareclosed.

Yours，witheverykindrembe.

C.L.

Ihadalmostforgottosay，Ithinkyouthoroughlyrightaboutpresentationcopies.IshouldliketoseeyouprintabookIshouldgrudgetopurchaseforitssize.D——nme，butIwouldhaveitthough!

[JohnLambswilllefteverythingtohisbrother.Wemustsupposethathiswidowwasindependentlyprovidedfor.Idoubtifthebrothershadseeneachotherexceptcasuallyforsometime.TheEliaessay"

MyRelations"

containsJohnLambsfull-lengthportraitunderthenameofJamesElia.

CaptainBurneydiedonNovember17，1821，

"

Thefoulenchanter—lettersfourdoformhisname."

FromColeridgeswareclogue，"

Fire，FamineandSlaughter，"