New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-22
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
RELICS OF CHARLES LAMB.

SOME HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED EPiTAPHs scRiB-
BLgD IN THE INDIA OFFIcE-vRRsEs MAKING
PUN OF FELLOW CLERKS FOR THEIR AMCsy-
MENr
To me Fdftor Or the Trfbune.
SIR: very few years since was engaged upon
catalogue of the books in the library Of the India
Office, London. Among the messengers OF the
Office, whose duty limited to the conveyance OF
papers from the secretaries OF departments to the
counc or the clerks, FraschIni, once the valet
of Lord Byron. lie had been appointed to tho Office
by Lord Broughton president Of tho India
Board in 1870 who, rs John Cam Hobhouse
was Byron's friend aud fellow traveller. One day
FraschIui clulc to me in the library and remark
ing thar was occupying tho chair which Charles
Lamb used when he was 4 clerk IN the old ludIa
House, told Inc there n small packet OF papers
among the manuscripts OF the library, when han
been found in Lambs desk long altor his death. /
was curious 10 took at the packet. IL was lndorsod
Hcmoirfs ponr seTyir,' aud beng opened, disclosed
certain dt.rcta ncmJfa which had formed
the groundwork OF some OF Elias sketches
and essays Bat there were one or two
sheet. on which Lamb had written some comic
epitalhs which he had evidently thrown of at
jocular moments for the amusement Of fellow
clerks who could bear little fun at their own eX-
pen,r. Naturally coyeting any scraps Lambs
l
had any right to them. and after great deal OF
trouble, found an elderly lady, the daughter OF a
cousin of Lambs. She Thought they would beIn
better keeping at the office than in her or my
hands. but she gave me leave to take
copies which | did at once. Seven years
have passed, and these queer cpitaph5 never now
left my possession, nor have shown them TO more
than ono Of my friends. Perhaps they would have
remained amidst the bundles Of Mss. which nj my
desk and closets had not accident lately brought
them to my recollection, and the dchghtiul ms
ccanir. .oi THE TRIBUNE, suggested that they
might be- acceptable to readers who can apprecIat"
the work, and respect the memory of the amiablc
Charles Lamb Hero they are. The first two
cDtaphs referred to two clerks in the office whose
names traced rs having been n the Offices SlGtY
ycals back.
Here he, the body Of Timothy vae-ta6.
VINO oI-e as tai aud A. straight ns Z! H'- 'l"Ii
Bur now ,hat he's gone 10 another W"iit,
III, stan Is Drok,u aud bs Tag l. fnred.
Tie second refers to an old invalid officer of the
British infantry, who oked ont his miserable half
pay az "a copyist IN the military department:
Here ll.rn the body OF Captain omrIns,
81 the blttlc o. Media ne lost ms l"ss
Aud >tMrcd about on wood, pegs.
lie was borne to Heaven ON angels wnss
The following is iu4cnou, and graceful IA well rs
Mother and wa, probably intended "a a serion5
inscrIptlou on a 3" stored Un":
9 Gitthc remains OF Mlr,aret DIX,
" no was young in Ola age We"n;
Thrush Envy with malice cried -cNcn'y-a!A
Inc t,r.c,- declared her nIuctccu."
Il should be- explained that Mrs. DIX was born on
February 80 Geap year, and thus had oniy one
birthday every four years. Consequently, by khe
time she had completed her ,cventy-SiXth year Der
nativity had been celebrated only nineteen tunes
The last i'm d, mot was eycllel at the medical
officer ol the establishment, who was not held, pro-
fci~ lonally, IN much respect.
To the memory OF Dr. Ouc@imus Drake
Who for ,ed good people ms drucS 10 take
No wonder IA, patients wrrr OF On ihe rack
FoI th> " duck ut a man was a terrole q"a'N'
Nyo.d friend James Kenney, son of the author
of RAISING the Wind" Ito whom | showed the
epitaph, told me OF one he had seen of Lambs on
Captain Matthew Day, Of the 10Th Regiment OF Foot.
Day was one of the putatiye sons OF George the
Fonrth-the mother a handsome lady Of Brighton.
Kenncy repeated the epitaph to me. and took Il
COPY and added it to rly collection. II ran thus:
Beneath this alb lies Matthew Day,
ii hls body has not been snatched away
To be ny science dl.5ecteG;
II , -oul the last TRUMP assure to hear.
And thus be- resurrcctcd.
No doubt Lamb. like Macau.ay, was often asked
to pen ,ob4r memorials of departed worth. The de-
sire for post hunous fame is very natura-and heirs
and relatives crafty certain amount OF Srii-.ove III
recording the virtues of their deceased predecessors
but rs It Is not Ia the power oi every one To leave
the world au ample legacy Of enduring literature,
or works Of ar Il crop OF military or naval
ren0wn, or the fame OF u " good divine, Whltr
marble monument, and tablets furnish n'Id for
descriptive cuOgy, traced by the fond finger oi
ioye-or any other sentiment Macaulay ; tributes
took a very sober and serious form, but Lamb was
differently constituted and probably balanced the
occasional necessity OF being grave by the offspring
of a sportivt nluse j. II. >GobOss.
BdshtnGfDp, d e., Feb. II. 1879.