and I would not lose it for
the world. Pray, if you find it, book it at the Swan, Snow Hill, by an
Edmonton stage immediately, directed to Mr. Lamb, Church-street,
Edmonton, or write to say you cannot find it. I am quite anxious about
it. If it is lost, I shall never like tripe again.

With kindest love to Mr. Dyer and all,

Yours truly,

C. LAMB.

[In the life of H.F. Cary by his son we read: "He [Lamb] had borrowed of
my father Phillips's _Theatrum Poetarum Anglicanorum_, which was
returned by Lamb's friend, Mr. Moxon, with the leaf folded down at the
account of Sir Philip Sydney." Mr. Cary acknowledged the receipt of the
book by the following

LINES TO THE MEMORY OF CHARLES LAMB

So should it be, my gentle friend;
Thy leaf last closed at Sydney's end.
Thou too, like Sydney, wouldst have given
The water, thirsting and near heaven;
Nay were it wine, fill'd to the brim,
Thou hadst look'd hard, but given, like him.

And art thou mingled then among
Those famous sons of ancient song?
And do they gather round, and praise
Thy relish Of their nobler lays?
Waxing in mirth to hear thee tell
With what strange mortals thou didst dwell!
At thy quaint sallies more delighted,
Than any's long among them lighted!

'Tis done: and thou hast join'd a crew,
To whom thy soul was justly due;
And yet I think, where'er thou be,
They'll scarcely love thee more than we.

This is the last letter of Charles Lamb, who tripped and fell in Church
Street, Edmonton, on December 22, and died of erysipelas on December 27.

At the time of his death Lamb was very nearly sixty. His birthday was
February 10.

Mary Lamb, with occasional lapses into sound health, survived him until
May 20, 1847. At first she continued to live at Edmonton, but a few
years later moved to the house of Mrs. Parsons, sister of her old nurse,
Miss James, in St. John's Wood. I append three letters, two written and
one inspired, by her, to Miss Jane Norris, one of the daughters of
Randal Norris. Of the friends mentioned therein I might add that Edward
Moxon lived until 1858; Mrs. Edward Moxon until 1891; James Kenney until
1849; Thomas Hood until 1845; and Barron Field until 1846.]

LETTER 615

MARY LAMB TO JANE NORRIS

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