Chapter CCXLIX: Letter 514: Charles Lamb to Robert Southey

May 10, 1830.

Dear Southey,--My friend Hone, whom you would like _for a friend_, I found deeply impressed with your generous notice of him in your beautiful "Life of Bunyan," which I am just now full of. He has written to you for leave to publish a certain good-natured letter. I write not this to enforce his request, for we are fully aware that the refusal of such publication would be quite consistent with all that is good in your character. Neither he nor I expect it from you, nor exact it; but if you would consent to it, you would have me obliged by it, as well as him. He is just now in a critical situation: kind friends have opened a coffee-house for him in the City, but their means have not extended to the purchase of coffee-pots, credit for Reviews, newspapers, and other paraphernalia. So I am sitting in the skeleton of a possible divan. What right I have to interfere, you best know. Look on me as a dog who went once temporarily insane, and bit you, and now begs for a crust. Will you set your wits to a dog?

Our object is to open a subscription, which my friends of the "Times" are most willing to forward for him, but think that a leave from you to publish would aid it.

But not an atom of respect or kindness will or shall it abate in either of us if you decline it. Have this strongly in your mind.

Those "Every-Day" and "Table" Books will be a treasure a hundred years hence; but they have failed to make Hone's fortune.

Here his wife and all his children are about me, gaping for coffee customers; but how should they come in, seeing no pot boiling!

Enough of Hone. I saw Coleridge a day or two since. He has had some severe attack, not paralytic; but, if I had not heard of it, I should not have found it out. He looks, and especially speaks, strong. How are all the Wordsworths and all the Southeys? whom I am obliged to you if you have not brought up haters of the name of

C. LAMB.

P.S.--I have gone lately into the acrostic line. I find genius (such as I had) declines with me, but I get clever. Do you know anybody that wants charades, or such things, for Albums? I do 'em at so much a sheet. Perhaps an epigram (not a very happy-gram) I did for a school-boy yesterday may amuse. I pray Jove he may not get a flogging for any false quantity; but 'tis, with one exception, the only Latin verses I have made for forty years, and I did it "to order."

SUUM CUIQUE

Adsciscit sibi divitias et opes alienas
Fur, rapiens, spolians, quod mihi, quod-que tibi,
Proprium erat, temnens haec verba, Meum-que, Suum-que;
Omne suum est: tandem Cui-que Suum tribuit.
Dat laqueo collum; vestes, vah! carnifici dat;
Sese Diabolo: sic bene: Cuique Suum.

I write from Hone's, therefore Mary cannot send her love to Mrs. Southey, but I do.

Yours ever, C.L.

[Major's edition of _The Pilgrim's Progress_, mentioned in a letter to Barton above, was issued in 1830 with a memoir of Bunyan by Southey. It was reviewed in _The Times_ for May 7, 1830, I think probably by Lamb, in the following terms:--

The public is aware that the unexhausted diligence and unwearied pen
of Mr. Southey have produced a new and excellent edition of the
celebrated _Pilgrim's Progress_, with the Life of the Author
prefixed. This Life is, no doubt, an interesting work, though we
wish the author, both in that and in the account, which is
attributed to him, of the founder of the Jesuits, contained in a
recent periodical work, had taken more time. The narrative in both
is hasty and tumultuary, if we may use the latter expression: there
is no time or room for reflection; and when a reflection comes, it
is so mixed and jambed in with the story, or with quotations from
the works or words of the respective heroes of the history, that it
escapes unobserved. Could we, without grievous offence, recommend,
both to Mr. Southey and Sir Walter Scott, to recollect the man
spoken of by Horace?--

quem fama est esse librisque Ambustum propriis."--_Sat_, i., 61.

Yet still, as we said above, the Life of Bunyan is an interesting
work. How different the origin of all the sects and their founders,
from that of our sober, staid, and, we trust, permanent
establishment, and the learned and pious reformers from whom it
sprang!

But that for which we chiefly notice this work of Mr. Southey, is
the very last sentence in it, wherein is contained his frank and
honourable recommendation (though not more than they deserve) of the
works of one whom the iron hand of oppression would have levelled
with the dust:--

"In one of the volumes collected from various quarters, which were
sent to me for this purpose, I observe the name of W. Hone, and
notice it that I may take the opportunity of recommending his
_Every-Day Book_ and _Table Book_ to those who are interested in the
preservation of our national and local customs. By these very
curious publications their compiler has rendered good service in an
important department of literature; and he may render yet more, if
he obtain the encouragement which he well deserves."

Not only we, and the person mentioned in this paragraph, but all the
friends of pure English literature,--all the curious in old English
customs,--in short, all intelligent men, with the hearts of
Englishmen in them,--owe Mr. Southey their gratitude for this
recommendation: it springs from a just taste and right feeling
united.

Hone wrote to _The Times_ at once to thank both the paper and Southey for the compliment. A few days later, on May 21, appeared an article in _The Times_ containing correspondence between Hone and Southey. I quote the introduction, again probably the work of Lamb, and Southey's letter (see Lamb's letter to Hone below):--

We alluded some days ago to the handsome notice of Mr. Hone in Mr.
Southey's _Life of Bunyan_. The following correspondence has since
been sent to us: it displays in an advantageous light the modesty of
Mr. Hone and the amiable and candid disposition of Mr. Southey. The
business, wholly foreign to Mr. Hone's former pursuits, which is
alluded to in the letter, is explained in an advertisement in this
day's paper.

* * * * *

"To Mr. Hone, 13, Gracechurch-Street,

"Keswick, April 26.

"Sir,--Your letter has given me both pain and pleasure. I am sorry
to learn that you are still, in the worldly sense of the word, an
unfortunate man,--that you are withdrawn from pursuits which were
consonant to your habits and inclinations, and that a public
expression of respect and good-will, made in the hope that it might
have been serviceable to you, can have no such effect.

"When I observed your autograph in the little book, I wrote to
inquire of Mr. Major whether it had come to his hands from you,
directly or indirectly, for my use, that, in that case, I might
thank you for it. It proved otherwise, but I would not lose an
opportunity which I had wished for.

"Judging of you (as I would myself be judged) by your works, I saw
in the editor of the _Every-Day_ and _Table Books_ a man who had
applied himself with great diligence to useful and meritorious
pursuits. I thought that time, and reflection, and affliction, (of
which it was there seen that he had had his share,) had contributed
to lead him into this direction, which was also that of his better
mind. What alteration had been produced in his opinions it concerned
not me to inquire; here there were none but what were
unexceptionable,--no feelings but what were to be approved. From all
that appeared, I supposed he had become 'a sadder and a wiser man:'
I therefore wished him success in his literary undertakings.

"The little parcel which you mention I shall receive with pleasure.

"I wish you success in your present undertaking, whatever it be, and
that you may one day, under happier circumstances, resume a pen
which has, of late years, been so meritoriously employed. If your
new attempt prosper, you will yet find leisure for intellectual
gratification, and for that self-improvement which may be carried on
even in the busiest concerns of life.

"I remain, Sir, yours with sincere good will,

"ROBERT SOUTHEY."

In the advertisement columns of the same issue of _The Times_ (May 21) was the following notice, drawn up, I assume, by Lamb:--

THE FAMILY OF WILLIAM HONE, in the course of last winter, were
kindly assisted by private friends to take and alter the premises
they now reside in, No. 13, Gracechurch-street, for the purpose of a
coffeehouse, to be managed by Mrs. Hone and her elder daughters; but
they are in a painful exigency which increases hourly, and renders a
public appeal indispensable. The wellwishers to Mr. Hone throughout
the kingdom, especially the gratified readers of his literary
productions (in all of which he has long ceased to have an interest,
and from none of which can he derive advantage), are earnestly
solicited to afford the means of completing the fittings and opening
the house in a manner suited to its proposed respectability. If this
aid be yielded without loss of time, it will be of indescribable
benefit, inasmuch as it will put an end to many grievous anxieties
and expenses, inseparable from the lengthened delay which has
hitherto been inevitable, and will enable the family to immediately
commence the business, which alone they look forward to for support.
Subscriptions will be received by the following bankers:--Messrs.
Ransom and Co., Pall-mall east; Messrs. Dixon, Sons, and Brookes,
Chancery-lane; Messrs. Ladbroke and Co., Bank-buildings, Cornhill;
and by Mr. Clowes, printer, 14, Charing-cross; Mr. Thomas Rodd,
bookseller, 2, Great Newport-street; Mr. Griffiths, bookseller, 13,
Wellington-street, Strand; Mr. Effingham Wilson, bookseller, Royal
Exchange; and Messrs. Fisher and Moxhay, biscuit-bakers, 55,
Threadneedle-street.

The first list of subscriptions, headed by "Charles Lamb, Esq., Enfield, £10," came to £103. This was Monday, May 31. The next list was published on June 10, accompanied by the following note in the body of the paper:--

The subscriptions for Mr. Hone, it will be perceived, are going on
favourably. In the list now published is the name of the Duke of
Bedford, who has sent 20_l_. His cause has been warmly espoused by
the provincial journals, more than 20 of which have inserted his
appeal gratuitously, with offers to receive and remit subscriptions.
The aphorism, "he gives twice who gives quickly," could not receive
a more cogent application than in the present instance, for the
funds are required to enable Mr. Hone to commence business in his
new undertaking, where he is already placed with his family, liable
to rent and taxes, and other claims, but gaining nothing until his
outfit is completed.

Hone, however, did not prosper, in spite of his friends, who were
not sufficiently numerous to find the requisite capital.

"Suum Cuique." The boy for whom this epigram was composed was a son
of Hessey, the publisher, afterwards Archdeacon Hessey. He was at
the Merchant Taylors' School, where it was a custom to compose Latin
and English epigrams for speech day, the boys being permitted to get
help. Archdeacon Hessey wrote as follows in the Taylorian a few
years ago:--

The subjects for 1830 were _Suum Cuique_ and _Brevis esse laboro_.
After some three or four exercise nights I confess that I was
literally "at my wits' end." But a brilliant idea struck me. I had
frequently, boy as I was, seen Charles Lamb at my father's house,
and once, in 1825 or 1826, I had been taken to have tea with him and
his sister, Mary Lamb, at their little house, Colebrook Cottage, a
whitish-brown tenement, standing by itself, close to the New River,
at Islington. He was very kind, as he always was to young people,
and very quaint. I told him that I had devoured his "Roast Pig"; he
congratulated me on possessing a thorough schoolboy's appetite. And
he was pleased when I mentioned my having seen the boys at Christ's
Hospital at their public suppers, which then took place on the
Sunday evenings in Lent. "Could this good-natured and humorous old
gentleman be prevailed upon to give me an Epigram?" "I don't know,"
said my father, to whom I put the question, "but I will ask him at
any rate, and send him the mottoes." In a day or two there arrived
from Enfield, to which Lamb had removed some time in 1827, not one,
but two epigrams, one on each subject. That on _Suum Cuique_ was in
Latin, and was suggested by the grim satisfaction which had recently
been expressed by the public at the capture and execution of some
notorious highwayman.

See also Vol. IV. of this edition for a slightly differing version. Lamb had many years before, he says in a letter to Godwin, written similar epigrams.

"With one exception." Perhaps the Latin verses on Haydon's picture. See Vol. IV.]