one Volume of juvenile Poetry? I have
tidings of a second at Brighton." He proposes that he and Mrs. Rickman
shall some day play old whist for the two.]

LETTER 522

CHARLES LAMB TO BERNARD BARTON

[P.M. 30 August, 1830.]

Dear B.B.--my address is 34 Southampton Buildings, Holborn. For God's
sake do not let me [be] pester'd with Annuals. They are all rogues who
edit them, and something else who write in them. I am still alone, and
very much out of sorts, and cannot spur up my mind to writing. The sight
of one of those Year Books makes me sick. I get nothing by any of 'em,
not even a Copy--

Thank you for your warm interest about my little volume, for the critics
on which I care [? not] the 5 hundred thousandth part of the tythe of a
half-farthing. I am too old a Militant for that. How noble, tho', in
R.S. to come forward for an old friend, who had treated him so
unworthily. Moxon has a shop without customers, I a Book without
readers. But what a clamour against a poor collection of album verses,
as if we had put forth an Epic. I cannot scribble a long Letter--I am,
when not at foot, very desolate, and take no interest in any thing,
scarce hate any thing, but annuals. I am in an interregnum of thought
and feeling--

What a beautiful Autumn morning this is, if it was but with me as in
times past when the candle of the Lord shined round me--

I cannot even muster enthusiasm to admire the French heroism.

In better times I hope we may some day meet, and discuss an old poem or
two. But if you'd have me not sick no more of Annuals.

C.L. Ex-Elia.

Love to Lucy and A.K. always.

[_The Literary Gazette_, Jerdan's paper, had written offensively of
_Album Verses_ and its author's vanity in the number for July 10, 1830.
Southey published in _The Times_ of August 6 some lines in praise of
Lamb and against Jerdan. It was Southey's first public utterance on Lamb
since the famous letter by Elia to himself, and is the more noble in
consequence. The lines ran thus:--

TO CHARLES LAMB

On the Reviewal of his _Album Verses_ in the _Literary Gazette_

Charles Lamb, to those who know thee justly dear
For rarest genius, and for sterling worth,
Unchanging friendship, warmth of heart sincere,
And wit that never gave an ill thought birth,
Nor ever in its sport infix'd a sting;
To us who have admired and loved thee long,
It is a proud as w