Highway to see in a morning paper
(alas! the Publican's) how the play ran. Pray, bring 4 orders for Mr.
Asbury--undated.

In haste (not for neglect)

Yours ever

C. LAMB.

Thursday.

[Lamb evidently refers to Moxon's engagement to Miss Isola being now
settled.

The play was Sheridan Knowles' "The Wife," produced on April 24.

The Buffams were the landladies of the house in Southampton Buildings,
where Lamb lodged in town.]

LETTER 577

CHARLES LAMB TO EDWARD MOXON

[P.M. April 27, 1833.]

Dear M. Mary and I are very poorly. Asbury says tis nothing but
influenza. Mr. W. appears all but dying, he is delirious. Mrs. W. was
taken so last night, that Mary was obliged at midnight to knock up Mrs.
Waller to come and sit up with her. We have had a sick child, who
sleeping, or not sleeping, next me with a pasteboard partition between,
killed my sleep. The little bastard is gone. My bedfellows are Cough and
cramp, we sleep 3 in a bed. Domestic arrangem'ts (Blue Butcher and all)
devolve on Mary. Don't come yet to this house of pest and age. We
propose when E. and you agree on the time, to come up and meet her at
the Buffams', say a week hence, but do you make the appointm't. The
Lachlans send her their love.

I do sadly want those 2 last Hogarths--and an't I to have the Play?

Mind our spirits are good and we are happy in your happiness_es_.

C.L.

Our old and ever loves to dear Em.

["Mr. W." was Mr. Westwood.--I know nothing of the Lachlans.--The Play
would be "The Wife" probably.--Miss Isola was, I imagine, staying with
the Moxons.]

LETTER 578

CHARLES LAMB TO THE REV. JAMES GILLMAN

May 7, 1833.

By a strange occurrence we have quitted Enfield for ever. Oh! the happy
eternity! Who is Vicar or Lecturer for that detestable place concerns us
not. But Asbury, surgeon and a good fellow, has offered to get you a
Mover and Seconder, and you may use my name freely to him. Except him
and Dr. Creswell, I have no respectable acquaintance in the dreary
village. At least my friends are all in the _public_ line, and it might
not suit to have it moved at a special vestry by John Gage at the Crown
and Horseshoe, licensed victualler, and seconded by Joseph Horner of the
Green Dragon, ditto, that the Rev. J.G. is a fit person to be Lecturer,
&c.

My dear James, I wish you all success, but am too full of my own
emancipation almost to congratulate anyone else. With both our loves to
your father and mo