New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-09-14
yry PUBLICATIONS.
BARRY ooRywALLs MEMOIR OF CHARLES
LAMB


BARRY CoRNwALLs MEMOIR OF CHARLES
LAMB.
. Mrsor. BY BAHEr Cornwall line.
N-~N- Do 3O4 Bosen Roberts BTo'herH
Tbere Is about Lambs life something Of the same
..rt Of fascination which attaches 70 his writings
aple as his story is with only one terrible event to
relieve il from monoony. read it again and again
Nth scarcely diminished zest and We feel that if is
time as Proctor says that Lambs books have made
many men wiser and better, it is also true that the
Astory Of his life, with its manfuly borne its
auty Vigorously performed its self-sacrifce and its
sentences is reading not only attractive for the mind,
But good for the heart
Nj. Proctor is almost the only man now surviving
Who knew much Of the excellent Ella" and as
suredly be knew him more intimately than any other
existng person during the last II 1S years of his
hie. In this little memoir he has not attempted
% construct a regular biography; the main iacIs
81 Lambs life are already well known to all the
heading world he has only set down IN rather de-
enltOry way, such recOectiOns OF his old hlenu as
might brng him more wildly before the eyes Of the
present generation. -, g..
other men was his entire devotion to one grand ana
ssnder purpose Neither pleasure nor tol ever ulew
Aim from il. He had an insane sister, WhO IN
,oment of madness, had unconscously destroyed her
swn mother; and TO protect and save TINS SISTER the
ehole Of his life was given up. what he endured
thrOngh the space of nearly 90 years. from the In
esssant fear and frequent recurrence OF Marys msan
Nv and the consciousness that his own blood was not
wholly tree from the faint; what he must have sui
Tered on those occasions when, as symptoms Of the
rnalady appeared, brother and sister lett their
humble home and walked arm-in-arm TO the
Insane Asylum, both in tears, and Charles
sAnying q strait waistcoat, can only DO con-
iuctnred. No wonder that even IN his
surous and peculiar humor there was touch OF
Nathos Mr.. Proctor holds TO the opinion that the
III. IL ll,,glo1 tvl Ne hicto
WAS not as some persons have supposed an imaginary
Being Celia, or Campaspe, or Lindamira-but the
vbject Of real attachment which he gave up Tor the
bake OF his sister. Charles himself was once Tor SIX
weeks IL a lunauc asylum and after his release ne
whites TO COleTdge that his head ran upon him, III
Ns madness as much almost on another person,
Ao ,eas The more immediate Of has frenzy Later
y life he fell in love with young QuakeTess named
Hester Sa7ory, but cOnfesses that he had never |
eDoken 20 her in his life. Yet she inspired some OF ms
sweetest and tenderest verses and among them hese
p0mpOsed after her death:
NV sp,igbtly neighbor gene before
To inst auk hown and silent sbere
sban We not meet heretofore,
Some Summer morningt
when fom thy cheerful eyes ray
Bath struck bliss upon the day,
tlss that will not go away,
sweet foTeWafmng.
OF the character of Lambs mind Mr. Proctor |
dives us the following excellent sketches: |
Apar, from his humoT and other eXceeneies Charles LAMB
smbined qualities such seldom united in person.
6hich indeed not easily Teeoncabie with eaen other
aanely much prudence with much geDeroy great tender
ps q heart with firm viii 10 these was superadded
Ast rscy humOr which has served 70 distinguish him from
0sher men There other writer that know Of in whom
Rdernes and good sense and huuor are so intimately aud
kapOy Blended whose view Of and hiBgs is so
hysrlaby generous and true and independent These
Epsls made their way slowly and fairly They not
y = 9i tf55s s 1 neglect cts and 'Se
Sonfamey before they took their stand gDpanty and
Lamb pied ali objects which hsd been neglected despsed
EsveThs the lens through which be viewed the objects OF
~ py-beggars and ebinneysweepers and eonyets-was
avsys clear served him when their shortcomings
bore be contemplated For he never patered with truth
81 his heart opened wide TO real distress BE never ap
llsoSed the fault but he piied the offender lie bad
cad et bic soqued sheep h first las; and only bope OF
mutton and vented his eengs "a t2St s91hsi GsS.o
Soa" Although be was wiling TO acknowledge merit when
vs successful he preferred IT, perhaps, When 1t was not
BY education and habit be was Unitarian Indeed he
PG0e NobcOnfOnst in all things He was not dssenter
~ imitation principle obstinate heJey;
eoT be made servle and obedent by formal logic alone
e. liked snd G none Of the ordinary reasons because he
pes famous clever powerful or popular he at Onoe
M WIN s' nan vs. n mo he gave him
psney II illuminated he accorded him sympathy
He gave freely, not 70 merit but TO want
ne P1Isaed his own snees his own rfedectOns He Sid
ps. neglect his own instinct (Which Is always tne ana am
berio Intellect cherish any inferior bnmors or wit
ss s1S% M in the tax Of s6s ea did
ksvoT prstension He ted ire strenuous ta o.
Eaett who peVer descended fine words He liked the
rAecied quiet conversation Of Manning the yiyaeions ex
k1rsye ak Of Leigh Hunt he heard wn w9ndf2s a az
simplest talk the best expressions OF pity or sympathy or
aectop others young people who thought and said
BE had no craving for popularity, for fame do
resoeG Any ebnt e 10 nv osniop In this respect
Il seems 70 lave differed nom Million (wlo desired fame Ike
kBDd ThAmyrs and blind M8onides and to have rather
pEemed Shakespeare Indifferent to fame assured
Bftt perhaps be resembied no one. .,-,
yoDg aversion 70 preehse and false fepute In particular
Be tie sdulson the eptaPh WOO endeay
red 70 place Garck the actor level with Shakespeare.
ptbst greatest Of al poets be mas sad such Ting Hs
agat shskesPeaIe hms1 E9Sa ssye liked e lear he has
eaetss partly because they deserved tnem partly Decsuse
$3.50 bv gpofant ages on the reputation Of these fine
kbor be hes snnued and forced me world 70 confess that
cannot sgine the mind Of Charles Lamb even In early
bsybood have been weak OF childish In ms nt letters
~ snhsTpy reflections He reader Of thoughtful books
t1s wtsms which he coined ioT IxPsnes each sor tAs
hose which be serwaid necitad and which were hghy
%S1sS y .Ss snms s1r but were exercise. Of The
nd be brought the wisdom OF Ola times and od writer's TO
kaT upon the taste and intellect Of his day What was In
sBntr foreign his be nstuased end cherished AND
Do dd with Judgment and great deiosey lis books
and beautiful thoughts which charm and nourikh only
Seod books can No from reading Charles
kuetiues as te hints he Affected that dangerous figure
bcny AID he would sometimes interrupt grave discussion
chen be thought ii too grave with some light Jest which
s.vsrtbeess was mot quite irrelevant Long takers
"A be ooneses "lGted him., and aSsredy be hated long
kAfen
In his conference you might sometimes readwhAt may
- oces almost all i0reheadsths letters and
Enes Of old 1ptrgoten calamity Yet there at the bot
eun Of his nature bUoyant sesusining strength Tor al
hnRh encountered frequent OF mental distress his
ksA recovered itself in the and and sounded
ne music PLAYED happy Upon bt OCCASION his lips
sud hu n arm fashion, bat the gentle smile that PLAYED
sRout M see showed that he always ready reeDt MS
sp,k eve never any sunness hs mouth tender and
Efa6us showed that there would be nothing cruel or nfeI
ne in bis nature.
Lam respect f and things aid not depend on re
Rute His fondness for old books seldom eve perhaps e1
kri N ne &c case " the Duchess Of Nevoast dended