, and his last essays, published in 1833, lack
something of the grace and charm of his earlier work. He died at Edmonton
in 1834; and his gifted sister Mary sank rapidly into the gulf from which
his strength and gentleness had so long held her back. No literary man was
ever more loved and honored by a rare circle of friends; and all who knew
him bear witness to the simplicity and goodness which any reader may find
for himself between the lines of his essays.

WORKS. The works of Lamb divide themselves naturally into three periods.
First, there are his early literary efforts, including the poems signed "C.
L." in Coleridge's _Poems on Various Subjects_ (1796); his romance
_Rosamund Gray_ (1798); his poetical drama _John Woodvil_ (1802); and
various other immature works in prose and poetry. This period comes to an
end in 1803, when he gave up his newspaper work, especially the
contribution of six jokes, puns, and squibs daily to the _Morning Post_ at
sixpence apiece. The second period was given largely to literary criticism;
and the _Tales from Shakespeare_ (1807)--written by Charles and Mary Lamb,
the former reproducing the tragedies, and the latter the comedies--may be
regarded as his first successful literary venture. The book was written
primarily for children; but so thoroughly had brother and sister steeped
themselves in the literature of the Elizabethan period that young and old
alike were delighted with this new version of Shakespeare's stories, and
the _Tales_ are still regarded as the best of their kind in our literature.
In 1808 appeared his _Specimens of English Dramatic Poets Contemporary with
Shakespeare_. This carried out the splendid critical work of Coleridge, and
was the most noticeable influence in developing the poetic qualities of
Keats, as shown in his last volume.

The third period includes Lamb's criticisms of life, which are gathered
together in his _Essays of Elia_ (1823), and his _Last Essays of Elia_,
which were published ten years later. These famous essays began in 1820
with the appearance of the new _London Magazine_[232] and were continued
for many years, such subjects as the "Dissertation on Roast Pig," "Old
China," "Praise of Chimney Sweepers," "Imperfect Sympathies," "A Chapter on
Ears," "Mrs. Battle's Opinions on Whist," "Mackery End," "Grace Before
Meat," "Dream Children," and many others being chosen apparently at random,
but all leading to a delightful interpretation of the life of Lo