hink it
more probably October, 1827, as the extracts (passages from Crowne's
"Thyestes") contributed by Lamb to Hone's _Table Book_ were printed late
in 1827.

In Lamb's next note to Hone he says how glad he was to receive the
_Table Book_ early on Friday: the result of the fable.]

LETTER 437

CHARLES LAMB TO THOMAS HOOD

[No date. ? 1827.]

Dear H.,--Emma has a favour, besides a bed, to ask of Mrs. Hood. Your
parcel was gratifying. We have all been pleased with Mrs. Leslie; I
speak it most sincerely. There is much manly sense with a feminine
expression, which is my definition of ladies' writing.

[_Mrs. Leslie and Her Grandchildren_, 1827, was the title of a book for
children by Mrs. Reynolds, mother of John Hamilton Reynolds and Mrs.
Hood, and wife of the Writing Master at Christ's Hospital.]

LETTER 438

CHARLES LAMB TO BERNARD BARTON

[No date. Late 1827.]

My dear B.B.--You will understand my silence when I tell you that my
sister, on the very eve of entering into a new house we have taken at
Enfield, was surprised with an attack of one of her sad long illnesses,
which deprive me of her society, tho' not of her domestication, for
eight or nine weeks together. I see her, but it does her no good. But
for this, we have the snuggest, most comfortable house, with every thing
most compact and desirable. Colebrook is a wilderness. The Books,
prints, etc., are come here, and the New River came down with us. The
familiar Prints, the Bust, the Milton, seem scarce to have changed their
rooms. One of her last observations was "how frightfully like this room
is to our room in Islington"--our up-stairs room, she meant. How I hope
you will come some better day, and judge of it! We have tried quiet here
for four months, and I will answer for the comfort of it enduring.

On emptying my bookshelves I found an Ulysses, which I will send to A.K.
when I go to town, for her acceptance-- unless the Book be out of print.
One likes to have one copy of every thing one does. I neglected to keep
one of "Poetry for Children," the joint production of Mary and me, and
it is not to be had for love or money. It had in the title-page "by the
author of Mrs. Lester's School." Know you any one that has it, and would
exchange it?

Strolling to Waltham Cross the other day, I hit off these lines. It is
one of the Crosses which Edw'd 1st caused to be built for his wife at
every town where her corpse rested between Northamptonsh'r