The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1842-12-10
CHARLES LAMB-BRIDGET ELLA

LAW D~DhtOOE1l ELLA.
The following picture of lraternaI fec
ton Is an extract from the article.
"Charles Lamb" in the recently pub
llshed volume Of "Miscellanies, by DR..
Collins, of Baltimore.
1.-The private character of Lamb, with
one melancholy exception, was without
reproach. His purity of character NAV be
inferred from his writings. 1t has been
said that, 'Llcentious writers may he very
chaste persons: the imagination may be a
volcano. whsle the heart is all Alp of icc.'
Ths may be true; but the converse
would not necessarily follow that licen-
llous persons may be very chase wri-
ters. If the imagination do not alIec, the
passions, the criminal indulgence of the
passions will affect The imagination: but
the history of ilcIat r. may furnish ex-
cep;ioas to the general rule Lamb was
not more remarkable for his generous,
than for kind, amiabIe, and gentle ma
ture. Souhey said, Others mi sht pos
sess the milk of human kindness, but
Charles Lambda monoI cl zcd the cream
In his early life he thus wrote to a friend:
i am wed, Ell, Colerldge, to the fortunes
of my sister, and my poor old father. Oh,
my friend, | think, sometimes, could |
recall the days that are past, which a.
mong them should choose? Not those
'merrler days, no' the 'plessan, days of
hope not those wanderings with fair
baird maid,' which have so often, and
SO ieelngly regretted; but the days, Col
eriGge, OF mothers frndness for her
schoolboy. " hat would not give to
call her ack to earth for one day, that, on
my knees, might ask her pardon for all
those little asperiIies of temper, which.
from time to time, have given her gentle
spirit painP Ills father died when he was
twenty lone; and from that time he oevo-
ted his whole life to his sister, " ho was
ten years older than himself She had
been mother to him when he was DEL
lcate and helpless child; when he arrived
at mans esa,e, he hecam" the protector
of her who had been to him in The place
of mother. She is the Bridget Ella of
his Essays-a kind hearted and gentle
creature-a;'mirably suited to beguiIe the
loneliness, and soolhe the sorrows Of such
a brother; and their lifelong association
OF undlmlnlshed, ever-increasng affec-
,ion, from his infancy to three-score wears,
was most beautiful. In one of his ESSAYS
he says of her, we house together, old
bachelor and maid, in sort of double
singleness; with such toierable comfort,
upon the whole, that !, for one find in
myself no sort of disposition TO 60 gu,
upon the mountains, with the rash kings
otisPrlng,t to bcwall my celibacy Tie once
expressed the desire that he could throw
INTO heap the remainder of their joint
existences, that they might share them in
equal division. The most affectionate
and earnest watchings on her part were
repaid by Difference and gratitude. IL
she were unusually silent, or Ianguid in
company, he would ask; Mary, does your
head ache? Don't you feel unwell? aud
was not easy to quiet his approximations.
The world has never produced an union
-unselish, deep, and long continued
between brother and sister, moro attrac-
tive from its moral beauty.
81 know man to whom these scenes
Of tralernal affection recall former days,
when he INDUCED ardent wishes tina, he
had sister: one whom he might have
cherished, and guided, and loved. lie
once had sister, few years his junior
himself too young to recolcct her. He
has heard her little prallle and ways des-
cribed, giving early promise of ardent
feeling. and woman's nature. When two
years old, she was said to be most inter-
esling and lovely. And then this sweet
little flower, which had just begun to ex-
pand her leaves, fragrant with the drops
Of morning dew, to the first rays of the
morning sun, calmly and gently laid her
head on It's natural resting place-a moth
er's bosom-and looked, and smiled, and
died DIED! Life and immortality are
broug ut to Lightly the Gospel, She was
only transplanted from this scene of tu-
multi, and sorrows, and storms, to more
genial cline where she will flourish in
immortal bloom; anc he may adop, the
language employed by David when told
his child was dead shall 60 to her, but
she shall not return 10 me-"