New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-18
CHARLES LAMB.
LECTURE OF GERALD MASSEY.

Isrs-THE SAD STORY OF HIS LIFE. ID
Mr. Gerald Massey lectured last evening, In Asso'
citation Hail. under the auspices of the Mercantile
Library Association, and, notwithstanding the very
storm which set hour before the time OF
the lecture. the was more than half filed. Mr.
Massey's subject was, Charles Lamb, the most
unique of English Humorists," and he found himself
much better appreciated by his audience than the
occasion of bis previous lectures both ofwhich
on the general subject Of SpIritualsm Sketchng
briefly the life of Lamb, he gave careful estimate
of his character and writings, and his lecture
abounded in passages Of great poetic beauty. The
lecture is reproduced in the main below;
..-r THE LECTURE.
In trying to define or illustrate the differ
betwixt wit and humor there always instances
that will in OF the two parallel nes-in-
unique, in the Of Charles Lamb, that
they laugh your and make fun OF your theory
But wit think, only reaches characteristics, whereas
hunor deals with Character The more robust and pc
cuar the character the better for the humorst Hence
the earlier aud conditions OF society," being more
fruitful In quaint character, offer the finest play
ground for hunor Wit IL more artful-a thing OF cul-
ture finds outlets In later time and more complex
state of society With Wit two opposite and combust
BILE qualities OF thought brought into sudden con-
tact aud. at touch explodes in the ludcrous Humor
shows you opposite personal characters, like Don
Quxote and Sancho Panzs which play into each others
hands and make dssimtude dovetaii In the laughable
Wit tunlbles and cOruscates about the subject humor
gdes right the heart OF the matter and uminousy
informs It, Wit leases tcKles titates humor fills you
TO the brim with measureful content Wit gives
you sharp, sudden electric shock, that leaves
you tingling from without; Gves You
bright quiet nod and Is or in moment. whats going
said great Douglass Jerrold on the street.
~ am said he, aud away he went. That's what wit
does you be sharp, too in taking the hit, or
you will find yourself in similar predcamont to that OF
the poor fy,
Amer hs head was Of to ind it out
But humor operates within with a slow and prolonged
exhortation OF your rsibes hurry ia for keeping
up Wit darts straight lines to It's point hunor flows
in circles embracing you II brevity be the soul OF wit,
then surely the soul OF humor is longevity To utter wit
man must be conscious OF what he Is saying. This s
not necessary with humor The Scotsman who was met
tumblng down stairs at the risk Of life and limb when
expostuaed with for coming down stairs In that way
replied: "Canm body come down stairs any way he
likes The Scotch often chargediwh being uncon-
scous Of Joke we laugh at but they make up for It by
laughing at things which the English can't the humor
Of think the peculiar pose OF the later American hui
morists is TO assume this attitude OF being personally
unconscious OF the joke In Charles Lambs writings
wit and humor are 80 inextricabY blended that call
him the most unique Of our English humorists
LAMBS LIFE. ....
The key 10 Lambs writings may be found In MS own
character. Tie main clue to his character must be
sought Tor and may be found in his life. lie was born
almost In penury brought up as charity boy by the
gray old nurse OF many heroes-the stern Mother
Poverty. He was one OF those fayorite children of
Nature TO whom she seems to give most while taking
most away. She docs MT pet and pamper those as
many fond mothers do their children; does MT give
them cake 20 eat does MT feed them tendery
or smother them in purple and hne lnen she gives
4 ,Jfr.,s Ttnt,a .tsf
the most hardly treated, think; doomed to I'M
pleasant toll aud perpetual anxiety have to become
ACQUAINTED with gref ana to their help out OF all
kinds OF nderance aud learn to turn their losses into
our eternal gain.
Here the lecturer went the story Of Lambs early
llfe his being "tumbled into Mr. Salts spacious closet
Of good old English reading where he and Mary browsed
at will on that fair and wholesome pasturage and where
Lamb first wandered the twisted labyrinths OF
literature well suited with his mental move
ments; his first acquaintance with Coleridge who had
already in his boyhOod begun TO lit up that large WIS.,
ionary brow OF his, and talk gorousy OF his vast pro-
lects while looking down long shiny vstas OF the future
that was never be realized He also told the story
Of the terrible tragedy that lurledi at the heart OF
Lambs life,, the backness OF which made tragic
a contrast TO all bis pathetic humOr on the sur
face They generally knew when the worst hts OF
insanity were coming on. aud Charles wou.d ask for a
days leave from his Office il for days pleasure aud
taking hs sisters in his these two poor desoate
sons would make the best OF their 10 the asylum
They have been met hand In hand, the tears Running
down their faces hurylng along as fast as they could
get there before the backness broke ana they were
CAUGHT in the full fury OF the stOrnand they were
rying the straight Tastcoat With them. lambs Lambs
to save Mary from going. to prison after
She had unconsciousy , murdered then mother.
And lie threw his life with that VI his poor sister for
ner 10 share the best OF BOTH He took her hand drew
her TO hs side, made his abode with her IN The same
desert of calamity, where they dwet together In that
double singeuess which was their only married life
lie cnose TO stand with her straight under the black
cloud always hanging overhead, always threatening
danger and possibly death or no meyer knew on eay-
ing home the morning mat ne might mol nave 10 lace
night that he would leave home again in the morning
purpose 10 be near her and administer 10 her such
cup " comfort rs could be hlsd Tor her ~ M love OF
brather whose life thus offered up This i the great
fact OF Lambs iiie-the moral OF my story tonight.
He has left us plenty Oh Iints scattered W ana down
his FOR US TO put hun together ana MAKE out
SAYS, he gave himself too little concern anout what he
aud in whose presence nc uttered some OF the
certainly more often hit than miss' He tells
us that he was bundle OF preJudiees; made up
Of sngs and ds M Ssct g ,a eguS NJ He AL
not be wasted upon everybody In presence OF GER
than m giving the fullest scope his pqusnt pecu
laties Nothing he liked better than to CATCH up some
sense aud whirl ito its feet in merrest and mad
dcs dance Of contradiction You're matter OF fact
two can't make some fun" and OF he went, making
some OF the most comlcal mental capers pos
..A,S Rat he doesn't Dlunucf INTO MS DesI
witoi,las. He sees straight aud ggy. enough,
for all tho apparent 6piddlty Of MS YsVl
II was with the mind OF Lamb rs 1t is with the lightning
Nzigzag is It's direct line for smiling. Zgzag was
ambs favorlte way. Ihaye sometimes thouSht the only
man who could have drawn line In the least parallel
with Lambs mental motion was the American Tnoreau
only Thoreau would have done 50 seriously you might
not have any likeness. IL was characteristic of
Lamb thar he always looked at the other side Of things
from childhood upward. When child, walking in a
cnurchyard With HE sister Mary passing over tine o@s
stones and finding much praise iavsned un the de-
parted, Lamb looked up and innocently asked:
,Where do they bury all the naughty peopieP
In this way he has word or humorous compassion Tor
man who had stolen sheep but Was taken prisoner
and l,is sheen taken too. Thus, as Lamb puts it,
he poor fellow lost his first, last and only hope or
mutton pie. That the thought when struck Lamb.
moi that he abetted sheepsieang but that ne always