's story of the origin of the verses is not
necessarily correct. I fancy that he had written them for Novello before
he produced them in reply to Ayrton's challenge. When sending the poem
to Ayrton in a letter at this time, not available for this edition
(written apparently just after Novello had paid the visit, referred to
above), Lamb wrote that it was written to gratify Novello.

Mary Lamb (or Charles Lamb, personating her) appended the following
postscript to the verses in Novello's album:--

The reason why my brother's so severe,
Vincentio is--my brother has no ear:
And Caradori her mellifluous throat
Might stretch in vain to make him learn a note.
Of common tunes he knows not anything,
Nor "Rule, Britannia" from "God save the King."
He rail at Handel! He the gamut quiz!
I'd lay my life he knows not what it is.
His spite at music is a pretty whim--
He loves not it, because it loves not him.

M. LAMB.

"Serjeant Wilde"-Thomas Wilde (1782-1855), afterwards Lord Truro, a
friend of Lamb's, who is said to have helped him with squibs in the
Newark election in 1829, when Martin Burney was among his supporters
(see Vol. V. of my large edition, page 341).

Here had I permission, I would print Lamb's letter to Ayrton, given in
the Boston Bibliophile edition, incorporating the same poem.]

LETTER 520

CHARLES LAMB TO SARAH HAZLITT

June 3, 1830.

Dear Sarah,--I named your thought about William to his father, who
expressed such horror and aversion to the idea of his singing in public,
that I cannot meddle in it directly or indirectly. Ayrton is a kind
fellow, and if you chuse to consult him by Letter, or otherwise, he will
give you the best advice, I am sure, very readily. _I have no doubt that
M. Burney's objection to interfering was the same--with mine._ With
thanks for your pleasant long letter, which is not that of an Invalid,
and sympathy for your sad sufferings, I remain, in haste,

Yours Truly,

Mary's kindest Love.

[There was some talk of William Hazlitt Junr. becoming a pupil of Braham
and taking up music seriously. He did not do so.

Here should come a note from Lamb to Hone, dated Enfield, June 17, 1830,
in which Lamb offers Hone L1 per quarter for yesterday's Times, after
the Coffee-House customers have done with it. He ends with the wish,
"Vivant Coffee, Coffee-potque!"]

LETTER 521

CHARLES LAMB TO BERNARD BARTON

[P.M