n, alarming her guilty towers, and
shaking the Monument with an ague fit--all done by a little vial of
phosphor in a Clown's fob! How he must grin, and shake his empty noddle
in clouds, the Vulcanian Epicure! Can we ring the bells backward? Can we
unlearn the arts that pretend to civilize, and then burn the world?
There is a march of Science; but who shall beat the drums for its
retreat? Who shall persuade the boor that phosphor will not ignite?

Seven goodly stacks of hay, with corn-barns proportionable, lie smoking
ashes and chaff, which man and beast would sputter out and reject like
those apples of Asphaltes and bitumen. The food for the inhabitants of
earth will quickly disappear. Hot rolls may say: "Fuimus panes, fuit
quartern-loaf, et ingens gloria Apple-pasty-orum." That the good old
munching system may last thy time and mine, good un-incendiary George,
is the devout prayer of thine,

To the last crust,

CH. LAMB.

[Incendiarism, the result of agricultural distress and in opposition to
the competition of the new machinery, was rife in the country at this
time.]

LETTER 528

CHARLES LAMB TO EDWARD MOXON

[No date. ? Christmas, 1830.]

Dear M. A thousand thanks for your punctualities. What a cheap Book is
the last Hogarth you sent me! I am pleased now that Hunt _diddled_ me
out of the old one. Speaking of this, only think of the new farmer with
his 30 acres. There is a portion of land in Lambeth parish called Knaves
Acre. I wonder he overlook'd it. Don't show this to the firm of Dilk &
C'o. I next want one copy of Leicester School, and wish you to pay
Leishman, Taylor, 2 Blandford Place, Pall Mall, opposite the British
Institution, L6. 10. for coat waistcoat &c. And I vehemently thirst for
the 4th No. of Nichols's Hogarth, to bind 'em up (the 2 books) as
"Hogarth, and Supplement." But as you know the price, don't stay for its
appearance; but come as soon as ever you can with your bill of all
demands in full, and, as I have none but L5 notes, bring with you
sufficient change. Weather is beautiful. I grieve sadly for Miss
Wordsworth. We are all well again. Emma is with us, and we all shall be
glad of a sight of you. COME ON Sunday, if you _can_; better, if you
come before. Perhaps Rogers would smile at this.--A pert half chemist
half apothecary, in our town, who smatters of literature and is
immeasurable unletterd, said to me "Pray, Sir, may not Hood (he of the
acres) be reckon'd the Prince of wits