The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-09-27

tice from the Edin6Wgh Re1ie70. He
made another dramatic attempt some
years later. Mr.. H., pleasant farce
with trivial plot, which was produced
at Drury Lane theatre in 1906. On
its first presentation it was Kissed down
and the amiable author, who sat with
his sister in the front of the PIT, hooted
as loud as any one and ever after made
a jest of the wreck OF his dramatic
hopes.
His literary efforts were now directed
into new channels. He had already
begun his studies of the old English
authors, and after two years labor he
produced his Specimens of English
Dramatic Poets, who lived about the
time of Shakespeare. This was received
with more favor than any of his preced
ing work. Some very fine and elaborate
essays, written by him shortly after
wards, began to appear from time to
time in the Reflector, quarterly maga-
zine established bv Leigh Hunt in
1910. Tne one on Garrick and Acting
as those on Hogarth, and the Farewell
TO Tobacco, attracted considerabl. at
ten,ion and were widely read. The fol-
lowing ten years of his life widely in
creased his celebrity as an author, and
when the London IZaeaziNe was esta-
blashed in 1920, he became one of the
principal contributors. The Essays of
Ella, first collected in 1928 to which
were added The Last Essays of Ella,
in 1888, appeared originally In this peri
odical.
In 1925 occurred one of the most
notable events of Lambs uneventful
life, his retirement from his clerkship.
For thirty three years he had been in
the office of the India house, his salary
during the last six years being seven
hundred pounds year. re had done
faithful service, and great consideration
had uniformly been shown him by his
superiors. A life annuity of four hun
dred and fifty pounds was granted him,
strong and valuable testimony of his
employers gratitude for his services.
He was now possessed of an lnde
pence and placed above all fear of want
by his yearly pension. His exultation
on his release appears in letter that
he Wi ote 10 Wordsworths | came home
forever on Tu- sday in last week. The
incomprehe 1sibleness of my condition
overwhelmed me. 1t was like passing
from life into eternity.
The remaining ten years of his life
were spent chiefly at Enfield in Here
fordshlre, with the exception of the
first three, which he passed in London.
At his chamber in Inner Temple
Lane there assembled weekly the elite
Of the literary world OF London. Haz-
lit, the clever critic and Talfourd, the
historian, went there, and Southey, the
brilliant DeQuincey and the volatile
Hood. Over the witticisms, puns and
fine remarks, while his sweet, unfortun-
ate sister PLAYED the hostesss part
with the grace of an Aspasia. Hazltt
said of her that she was the only thro-
oughly reasonable woman he had ever
met. The deaths OF Hazltt and Coler-
idge heavily afflicted the brother and
sister, and the large circle of friends
ever seemed small after they were
gone. With that great sorrow brood
ing over them, they never forgot to be
genial, loving, appre clative and thought
full. Their friends could never COM
plain of them.
Charles Lamb died in December,
1884. While taking his daily morning
walk he accidentally tell and slightly
wounded his face. Erysipelas shortly
ensued, which terminated fatally in a
few days. His sister Mary lived until
IS47. On her brothers death the
East India company granted to her the
pension to which a widow was entitled.
and upon this allowance and what she
earned by her pen, she made a hand
some living. She is best known by
the Tales from Shakespeare" which
she and her brother wrote together.
She was eighty two years old when she
died.-Fed Myran Colby in House
LO/I