Essays of Charles Lamb

Front matter

CHARLES LAMB

After a drawing by Robert Hancock in the National Portrait Gallery

ESSAYS OF CHARLES LAMB

Preface

The assertion of a number of eminent critics that English prose style reaches its climax in Charles Lamb has remained undisputed. If this high praise is deserved, Lamb should be regarded as one of our purest classics, and a subject for general academic study. It is, therefore, all the more a matter of surprise that no adequate school edition of Elia has hitherto appeared. I believe, in fact, that he has been neglected in the class room, but for what specific reasons, whether of subject or treatment, I am not prepared to say. The condition is truly remarkable in the case of one sq universally beloved and by acclamation adjudged a supreme master of English.

I believe that Lamb is shortly coming into his own. Many signs of the times point in this direction. The aim of the present volume is to supply a substantial school and college edition of selected essays. Recognizing the numerous difficulties to be met, the editor has tried to make a book which shall prove adequate to the requirements of the class room. Not to infringe upon the rights of the teacher, the beautiful and pathetic story of Lamb's life has been left untold, and only a few suggestions as to methods of study have been made. To avoid similar sins against the student, the plan of not giving information that is easily accessible has been adhered to. The right of personal research — a wholesome stimulus to interest — is respected in this edition, but help is offered where help is needed. In criticism, analyses of style and structure, and in notes on recondite allusions, the book will, I believe, be found reasonably full.

vi PREFACE

After carefully collating four standard English editions of the Essays of Elia, the editor has followed closely the excellent text of Mr. Richard Heme Shepherd (London : Chatto and Windus, 1898), which has the advantage of being based directly on the text of the two volumes of 1823 and 1833, issued under Lamb's own eye. The spelling and the use of points and capitals is, therefore, substantially that approved by the author. Several passages which Lamb suppressed have been restored from the magazines in which the essays originally appeared, as the personal reasons that caused their omission now no longer exist. It has seemed best to retain Lamb's own notes on the text as footnotes. The miscellaneous critical papers are reprinted in the form in which they first appeared in the several magazines.

The section on works of reference, and specific acknowledgments in the Introduction and Notes, will sufficiently indicate the indebtedness of the editor, which is too multifarious to be here set down. A number of Lamb's allusions and quotations have defied all attempts of the editor to trace them, and any information throwing hght on such passages will be gratefully

appreciated.

G. A. W.

Columbia, S. C.

February, 1904

Introduction

I. Chief Events of Lamb's Life .

II. Lamb's Personality and Influence

III. Style and Matter of the Essays

IV. Library References . . . .

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xxxiv

ESSAYS OF ELIA

V

Whist

I. A Character of the Late Elia II. The South-Sea House

III. Oxford in the Vacation

IV. Christ's Hospital Five-and-Thirty Years V. The Two Races of Men

VI. New Year's Eve .

VII. Mrs. Battle's Opinions on VIII. Valentine's Day .

IX. A Quakers' Meeting .

X. My Relations XL Mackery End, in Hertfordshire XII. Imperfect Sympathies ....

XIII. The Old Benchers of the Inner Temple

XIV. Witches and Other Night-Fears .

X^. Grace before Meat

/XVI. Dream-Children : A Reverie .

XVII. On Some of the Old Actors .

XVIII. The Praise of Chimney-Sweepers .

XIX. A Dissertation upon Roast Pig XX. On the Acting of Munden

XXI. Munden's Farewell

vii

Ago

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