The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-03-06
LITERARY.
Lamb in One volume.

Lamb in One Volume.
The enfield edition" of Charles Lamb
embodes, in most convenient form, one
volume, the writings Of the great humor-
ist and gentle essayist. 1t contains ms
letters, essays, poems, dramas, and those
volumes of memorials by TalfOurd which
created such stir at the time of their
publication. A feature of the book, and
new in the connection, is record OF per-
sonal "reminiscences of Lamb, Coicrldge,
Southey, Wordsworth and their early
friend and publisher, Joseph Cottle, by an
American friend of the poets. The pro-
auctions Of Lamb belong together. ihey
are all revelations Of the characterot the
man, and are an essential part OF ms
biography. 1t is this essence Of Lambs
individuality in all his writings that makes
him so beloved He has personal hold
on the Affections. His book has the look
of friend, and its first greeting, as you
open the page, is either in merriment or
some pcnsive talk that is always this side
of the mournful, even when you brush
away the tear ELIAS Essays will al
WAYS remain classic and readable because
of their truthful feeling and playful fancy,
and above all, because Of their simplicity
and npretentiousness.
How little could LamD have been dream
ing of fame when he penned his letters to
Coleridge, Southey, Wordsworth, Crabbe
Robinson, Talfourd and others, and yet
these letters, as streams flowing together,
contribute material part to his lasting
glory. His transient fancies and care
lcssly inditcd epistles on every day affairs
have become part of our literature; sc
precious is the child-like genius, and SC
great is the reward of the unprctcnding
In the aspect that Lambs individuality is
an essential part of his fame, it is FORUM
ate that this period of English literature
is very clearly lighted up. We are not at
lack of information concerning the lives
of the writers of that generation. The
memoirs Of Rogers, Henry Crabbe Robin
son, Taltourd and others have constant!
added new anecdotes. a recent number
of McMillan's Magazine contained five
new anecdotes Of Lamb. Thus his vital.
itv in literature is attcstcd, and his prcs.
ence constant
The life Of the essayist becomes clear
to us in reading his letters !, ant
Tafourd's "Final Memorial CONTAINED
in this volume), and while more orderl!
Life may be in demand, his best lover:
would not accept one from inferior hands
In lieu of this an excellent addition TO hi:
works would be Il collection OF anccdote:
and references to him by Henry Crabb'
Robinson and others Certainly Lamb.
mind was not of the great ones OF earth
but the divine spirit of Immortality Seems
to haye been, and to he, III and about him
Fortunate the man whom Lambs pei
touched in some idle moment. Has R'
not made the world love the comedians
Eliston, and Jack Bannistcr, and Dick,
Suett? Has he not made for Mundcn
lasting fame? and we would perhaps forge
Mrs. Jordan Gas an actress) if it were no
for his words about her. The gods seem
ed to have blessed him with immortality
as much for his purity and guilcssnes
and sclf-abnegation in life, as for tn
qualities and the peculiar cnchantment 0
his style, and the spirit in it.
Let us see for a moment in what sim
pie way he has immortalized Mrs. Jordan
"Those who have only seen Mrs. Jordan
within the last ten or fifteen years, cal
have no adequate notion of her perform
ancc Of such parts rs Ophelid; HclenA il
ALPS Well that Ends Well and l'iol'
in this play Her voice had lately ac
uuircd coarseness, which suited wei
enough with her Nells and Uoydens, bu
in those days it sunk, with her steady
melting eve, into the heart. Her joyou
parts-in which her memory now chief
lives-in her youth were outdonc by he
paintvc ones. There is no giving an &C
count how she delivered the disguised
story Of her love for Orsi00. 1t was NJ
set speech, that she had forcSccn, so as t
weave into it an harmonious period, lin
necessarily following line, to make up tn
music-yet have heard it SO spoled, o
rather read, not without its grace AM
beautv-but when she had declared he
sisters history to be 4 blank, and tha
size 'nc'er told her love, there was
pause as if the story had cnded-and TIL
image Of the worm in the bud, came II
as Il new suggeston-and the heightcne
image OF Patience still followed afie
that, rs By some growing (not mechanical
process, thought sprnging up aftc
thought, would almost say, as they wcr
watercd by her tears" 1t is tripl
chord of love that is wrought by tn
above, love for the poet, the actress, th
critic love for Shakespeare, Lamb, an
Mrs. Jordan. Charles Lamb, complete il
one volume, is as it should he. Ih
present edition is to be commended.