hat a letter from either of you now and then,
detailing any thing, Book or Town news, is as good as a newspaper. I
have desperate colds, cramps, megrims &c., but do not despond. My
fingers are numb'd, as you see by my writing. Tell E. I am _very good_
also. But we are poor devils, that's the truth of it. I won't apply to
Dilke-- just now at least--I sincerely hope the pastoral air of Dover
St. will recruit poor Harriet. With best loves to all.

Yours ever

C.L.

Ryle and Lowe dined here on Sunday; the manners of the latter, so
gentlemanly! have attracted the special admiration of our Landlady. She
guest R. to be nearly of my age. He always had an old head on young
shoulders. I fear I shall always have the opposite. Tell me any thing of
Foster [Forster] or any body. Write any thing you think will amuse me. I
do dearly hope in a week or two to surprise you with our appearance in
Dover St....

[Shirley would be Dyce's edition of James Shirley, the dramatist, in six
volumes, 1833.

Harriet was Harriet Isola.

"Ryle and Lowe." Ryle we have met, but I do not identify Lowe.

I have omitted some lines about family matters at the end of the
letter.]

LETTER 591

CHARLES LAMB TO EDWARD AND EMMA MOXON

Nov. 29th, 1833.

Mary is of opinion with me, that two of these Sonnets are of a higher
grade than any poetry you have done yet. The one to Emma is so pretty! I
have only allowed myself to transpose a word in the third line. Sacred
shall it be for any intermeddling of mine. But we jointly beg that you
will make four lines in the room of the four last. Read "Darby and
Joan," in Mrs. Moxon's first album. There you'll see how beautiful in
age the looking back to youthful years in an old couple is. But it is a
violence to the feelings to anticipate that time in youth. I hope you
and Emma will have many a quarrel and many a make-up (and she is
beautiful in reconciliation!) before the dark days shall come, in which
ye shall say "there is small comfort in them." You have begun a sort of
character of Emma in them very sweetly; carry it on, if you can, through
the last lines.

I love the sonnet to my heart, and you _shall_ finish it, and I'll be
damn'd if I furnish a line towards it. So much for that. The next best
is

TO THE OCEAN

"Ye gallant winds, if e'er your LUSTY CHEEKS
Blew longing lover to his mistress' side,
O, puff your loudest, spread the c