ers of Edinburgh, who killed persons to sell their corpses to
Knox's school of anatomy. Burke was hanged a week later than this
letter, on January 28. Hare turned King's evidence and disappeared. A
"shot" was a subject in these men's vocabulary. The author of the
Waverley novels--the Great Unknown-- had, of course, become known long
before this.

"M.B."--Martin Burney. In 1818 Lamb had dedicated the prose volume of
his _Works_ to Burney, in a sonnet ending with the lines:--

Free from self-seeking, envy, low design,
I have not found a whiter soul than thine.

Hervey was Thomas Kibble Hervey (1799-1859), a great album poet.

"A sonnet of mine in Blackwood"--in the number for January, 1829 (see
below).

"Hessey"--of the firm of Taylor & Hessey, the late publishers of the
_London Magazine_.

Another letter from Lamb to Procter, repeating the request for verses,
was referred to by Canon Ainger in the preface to his edition of the
correspondence. Canon Ainger printed a delightful passage. It is
disappointing not to find it among the letters proper in his latest
edition.

Here (had I permission from its American owner to print it, which I have
not) I should place Lamb's instructions as to playing whist drawn up for
Mrs. Badams' use and as an introduction to Captain Burney's treatise on
the game. It is a very interesting document and England has never seen
it yet.

The Boston Bibliophile edition also gives a letter from Lamb to Badams
apologising for his heatedness yesterday and explaining it by saying
that he had been for some hours dissuading a friend from settling at
Enfield "which friend would have attracted down crowds of literary men,
which men would have driven me wild."]

LETTER 473

CHARLES LAMB TO THOMAS ALLSOP

Jan. 28, 1829.

Dear Allsop--Old Star is setting. Take him and cut him into Little
Stars. Nevertheless the extinction of the greater light is not by the
lesser light (Stella, or Mrs. Star) apprehended so nigh, but that she
will be thankful if you can let young Scintillation (Master Star)
twinkle down by the coach on Sunday, to catch the last glimmer of the
decaying parental light. No news is good news; so we conclude Mrs. A.
and little a are doing well. Our kindest loves, C.L.

[I cannot explain the mystery of these Stars.]

LETTER 474

CHARLES LAMB TO B.W. PROCTER

[? Jan. 29th, 1829.]

When Miss Ouldcroft (who is now Mrs. Beddome, and Bed--d