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LETTER 209（第1页）

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LETTER209

MARYLAMBTOBARBARABETHAM（Aged14）

Novr.2，1814.

ItisverylongsinceIhavemetwithsuchanagreeablesurpriseasthesightofyourletter，mykindyoungfriend，affordedme.Suchaniceletterasitistoo.Andwhataprettyhandyouwrite.Icongratulateyouonthisattainmentwithgreatpleasure，becauseIhavesooftenfeltthedisadvantageofmyownwretchedhandwriting.

YouwishforLondonnews.IrelyuponyoursisterAnnforgratifyingyouinthisrespect，yetIhavebeenendeavouringtorecollectwhomyoumighthaveseenhere，andwhatmayhavehappenedtothemsince，andthisefforthasonlybroughttheimageoflittleBarbaraBetham，unconnectedwithanyotherperson，sostronglybeforemyeyesthatIseemasifIhadnoothersubjecttowriteupon.NowIthinkIseeyouwithyourfeetproppeduponthefender，yourtwohandsspreadoutuponyourknees—anattitudeyoualwayschosewhenwewereinfamiliarconfidentialconversationtogether—tellingmelongstoriesofyourownhome，wherenowyousayyouare"Mopingonwiththesamethingeveryday，"andwhichthenpresentednothingbutpleasantrecollectionstoyourmind.HowwellIrememberyourquietsteadyfacebentoveryourbook.Oneday，consciencestruckathavingwastedsomuchofyourprecioustimeinreading，andfeelingyourself，asyouprettilysaid，"quiteuselesstome，"youwenttomydrawersandhuntedoutsomeunhemmedpocket-handkerchiefs，andbynomeanscouldIprevailuponyoutoresumeyourstorybookstillyouhadhemmedthemall.Iremember，too，yourteachingmylittlemaidtoread—yoursittingwithherawholeeveningtoconsoleherforthedeathofhersister;andthatsheinherturnendeavouredtobeeafortertoyou，thenextevening，whenyouweptatthesightofMrs.Holcroft，fromwhoseschoolyouhadrecentlyelopedbecauseyouwerenotpartialtosittinginthestocks.Thosetears，andafewyouoncedroppedwhenmybrotherteasedyouaboutyoursupposedfondnessforanappledumpling，weretheonlyinterruptionstothecalmcontentednessofyouruncloudedbrow.Westillremainthesameasyouleftus，neithertallernorwiser，orperceptiblyolder，butthreeyearsmusthavemadeagreatalterationinyou.Howverymuch，dearBarbara，Ishouldliketoseeyou!

WestillliveinTempleLane，butIamnowsittinginaroomyouneversaw.Soonafteryouleftuswewe[re]distressedbythecriesofacat，whichseemedtoproceedfromthegarretsadjoiningtoours，andonlyseparatedfromoursbyalockeddooronthefarthersideofmybrothersbedroom，whichyouknowwasthelittleroomatthetopofthekitchenstairs.Wehadthelockforcedandletpoorpussoutfrombehindapannelofthewainscot，andshelivedwithusfromthattime，forwewereingratitudeboundtokeepher，asshehadintroducedustofouruntenanted，unownedrooms，andbydegreeswehavetakenpossessionoftheseunclaimedapartments—Firstputtinguplinestodryourclothes，thenmovingmybrothersbedintooneofthese，moremodiousthanhisownrooAndlastwinter，mybrotherbeingunabletopursueaworkhehadbegun，owingtothekindinterruptionsoffriendswhoweremoreatleisurethanhimself，Ipersuadedhimthathemightwriteathiseaseinoneoftheserooms，ashecouldnotthenhearthedoorknock，orhearhimselfdeniedtobeathome，whichwassuretomakehimcalloutandconvictthepoormaidinafib.Here，Isaid，hemightbealmostreallynotathome.SoIputinanoldgrate，andmadehimafireinthelargestofthesegarrets，andcarriedinonetable，andonechair，andbidhimwriteaway，andconsiderhimselfasmuchaloneasifhewereinanewlodginginthemidstofSalisburyPlain，oranyotherwideunfrequentedplacewherehecouldexpectfewvisitorstobreakinuponhissolitude.Ilefthimquitedelightedwithhisnewacquisition，butinafewhourshecamedownagainwithasadlydismalface.Hecoulddonothing，hesaid，withthosebarewhitewashedwallsbeforehiseyes.Hecouldnotwriteinthatdullunfurnishedprison.

Thenextday，beforehecamehomefromhisoffice，Ihadgatheredupvariousbitsofoldcarpettingtocoverthefloor;and，toalittlebreaktheblanklookofthebarewalls，Ihungupafewoldprintsthatusedtoornamentthekitchen，andafterdinner，withgreatboastofwhatanimprovementIhadmade，ItookCharlesoncemoreintohisnewstudy.Aweekofbusylaboursfollowed，inwhichIthinkyouwouldnothavedislikedtohavebeenourassistant.MybrotherandIalmostcoveredthewallwithprints，forwhichpurposehecutouteveryprintfromeverybookinhisoldlibrary，ingineverynowandthentoaskmyleavetostripafreshpoorauthor—whichhemightnotdo，youknow，withoutmypermission，asIameldersister.Therewassuchpasting，suchconsultationwheretheirportraits，andwheretheseriesofpicturesfromOvid，Milton，andShakespearwouldshowtomostadvantage，andinwhatobscurecornerauthorsofhumblernotemightbeallowedtotelltheirstories.Allthebooksgaveuptheirstoresbutone，atranslationfromAriosto，adelicioussetoffourandtwentyprints，andforwhichIhadmarkedoutaconspicuousplace;whenlo!wefoundatthemomentthescissarsweregoingtoworkthatapartofthepoemwasprintedatthebackofeverypicture.Whatacrueldisappointment!Toconcludethislongstoryaboutnothing，thepoordespisedgarretisnowcalledtheprintroom，andisbeeourmostfavoritesittingroo

YoursisterAnnwilltellyouthatyourfriendLouisaisgoingtoFrance.MissSkepperisoutoftown，Mrs.Reynoldsdesirestoberememberedtoyou，andsodoesmyneighbourMrs.Norris，whowasyourdoctresswhenyouwereunwell，herthreelittlechildrenaregrownthreebigchildren.TheLionsstillliveinExeterChange.ReturninghomethroughtheStrand，Ioftenhearthemroarabouttwelveoclockatnight.Ineverhearthemwithoutthinkingofyou，becauseyouseemedsopleasedwiththesightofthem，andsaidyouryoungpanionswouldstarewhenyoutoldthemyouhadseenaLion.

AndnowmydearBarbarafarewell，Ihavenotwrittensuchalongletteralongtime，butIamverysorryIhadnothingamusingtowriteabout.Wishingyoumaypasshappilythroughtherestofyourschooldays，andeveryfuturedayofyourlife.

Iremain，youraffectionateFriend，

M.LAMB.

Mybrothersendshislovetoyou，withthekindremembranceyourlettershewedyouhaveofusasIwas.Hejoinswithmeinrespectstoyourgoodfatherandmother，andtoyourbrotherJohn，who，ifIdonotmistakehisname，isyourtallyoungbrotherwhowasinsearchofafairladywithalargefortune.Askhimifhehasfoundheryet.YousayyouarenotsotallasLouisa—youmustbe，youcannotsodegeneratefromtherestofyourfamily.Nowyouhavebegun，Ishallhopetohavethepleasureofhearingfrom[you]again.Ishallalwaysreceivealetterfromyouwithverygreatdelight.

[ThischarmingletteristoayoungersisterofMatildaBethaWhattheworkwaswhichin1814droveLambintoanemptyroomIdonotknow.Itmayhavebeensomethingwhichcametonought.BeyondtheessayonTailors（seeVol.I.）andafewbriefscrapsforTheChampionhedidpracticallynothingthathassurviveduntilsomeversesin1818，afewcriticismsin1819，andin1820thefirstoftheEliaessaysfortheLondonMagazine.LouisawasLouisaHolcroft，abouttogotoFrancewithhermotherandstepfather，JamesKenney.MissSkepperwasBasilMontagusstepdaughter，afterwardsthewifeofB.W.Procter（BarryCornwall）.ExeterChange，wheretherewasamenagerie，wasintheStrand（seenoteabove）.ThereisafurtherreferencetothetallnessofJohnBethaminLambslettertoLandorin1832.]

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