ou), and then you need not mind if he were as
mad as a Bedlamite. It would be rather fun to see his odd ways. It might
amuse Mrs. Patmore and the children. They'd have more sense than he!
He'd be like a Fool kept in the family, to keep the household in good
humour with their own understanding. You might teach him the mad dance
set to the mad howl. _Madge Owl-et_ would be nothing to him. "My, how he
capers!" [_In the margin is written_:] One of the children speaks this.

[_Three lines here are erased_.] What I scratch out is a German
quotation from Lessing on the bite of rabid animals; but, I remember,
you don't read German. But Mrs. Patmore may, so I wish I had let it
stand. The meaning in English is--"Avoid to approach an animal suspected
of madness, as you would avoid fire or a precipice:--" which I think is
a sensible observation. The Germans are certainly profounder than we.

If the slightest suspicion arises in your breast, that all is not right
with him (Dash), muzzle him, and lead him in a string (common
pack-thread will do; he don't care for twist) to Hood's, his quondam
master, and he'll take him in at any time. You may mention your
suspicion or not, as you like, or as you think it may wound or not Mr.
H.'s feelings. Hood, I know, will wink at a few follies in Dash, in
consideration of his former sense. Besides, Hood is deaf, and if you
hinted anything, ten to one he would not hear you. Besides, you will
have discharged your conscience, and laid the child at the right door,
as they say.

We are dawdling our time away very idly and pleasantly, at a Mrs.
Leishman's, Chace, Enfield, where, if you come a-hunting, we can give
you cold meat and a tankard. Her husband is a tailor; but that, you
know, does not make her one. I knew a jailor (which rhymes), but his
wife was a fine lady.

Let us hear from you respecting Mrs. Patmore's regimen. I send my love
in a ------ to Dash. C. LAMB.

[_On the outside of the letter was written_:--]

Seriously, I wish you would call upon Hood when you are that way. He's a
capital fellow. I sent him a couple of poems --one ordered by his wife,
and written to order; and 'tis a week since, and I've not heard from
him. I fear something is the matter.

_Omitted within_

Our kindest remembrance to Mrs. P.

[This is from Patmore's _My Friends and Acquaintances_, 1854; but again
I have no confidence in Patmore's transcription.

Dash had been Hood'