LAMB, in Zoology, the young of the sheep kind. See Mammalia. Scythian Lamb, a kind of moss, which grows about the roots of fern in some of the northern parts of Europe and Asia, and sometimes assumes the form of a quadruped, so called from a supposed resemblance in shape to that animal. It has something like four feet, and its body is covered with a kind of down. Sir Hans Sloane read a memoir upon this plant before the Royal Society, for which those who think it worth while may consult the Transactions (No. 245, p. 461.) Mr Bell of Antermony, in his very instructive “Account of a Journey from St Petersburg to Ispahan,” informs us that he searched in vain for this plant in the neighbourhood of Astrakan, and that the more sensible and experienced amongst the Tartars treated the whole history as fabulous.

Lamb, Charles, a distinguished essayist and critic, was born in the Temple, London, on the 11th of February 1775. He was presented to the school of Christ Hospital in 1782, some recollections of which place he afterwards embodied in one of his most delightful essays. In November 1789, having completed the usual period allotted for education at that seminary, he returned to the home of bis mother, who still resided in the Temple, although his father was now no more. At first he was employed for a short time in the South Sea House with his brother; a graphic and admirable account of which establishment he afterwards gave, in an essay of the same name. On the 5th'of April 1793, he obtained an appointment in the accountant’s department of the India House, where he remained till 1825, when he was allowed to retire on a handsome pension. The events of his life of a domestic nature are of little moment, and need not detain us in sketching his literary career. His first appearance as an author was in a small volume of poetry, published by his friend Coleridge in 1797, to which he contributed various pieces. A few years afterwards appeared “Old Blind Margaret, and Rosamund Gray,” a tale of great simplicity, sweetness, and pathos. In 1802 he published “John Woodvil, a tragedy,” alongst with “Fragments of Burton,” one of his favourite authors. “Mr H ,” a farce, was acted at Drury Lane in 1806, without success. It is, however, probably the best dramatic jeu d’esprit in the language; but it wants plot and incident for the stage, and its jokes are too intellectual to be appreciated by a mixed audience. In 1808 appeared his “Specimens of English Dramatic Poets who lived about the time of Shakspeare, with Notes,” chiefly critical. In the year 1811 he contributed to the “Reflector” a series of admirable prose papers, including those on Hogarth’s pictures and the tragedies of Shakspeare. The most celebrated of all Mr Lamb’s works, the “Essays of Elia,” were published in various periodicals between the years 1820 and 1833; and were subsequently collected and given to the public in two octavo volumes. In 1830 appeared his small volume of poems called “Album Verses,” which also contained “The Wife’s Trial,” a dramatic poem, founded on Crabbe’s “Tale of the Confidante.” In conjunction with his sister, he also compiled three very popular books for children, namely, “Mrs Leicester’s School, or the History of several young Ladies, related by themselves;” Tales from Shakspeare and “The Adventures of Ulysses.” He [7:13:32] likewise wrote another farce called “The Pawnbroker’s Daughter, or the Reprieved Man,” founded on his amusing paper, “On the Inconveniences of being hanged and to several periodical works he contributed various criticisms on the drama and the fine arts. His volume bearing the title of “The last Essays of Elia” appeared in 1833; and its publication he did not long survive, having died on the 27th of December 1834.

In depth of thought and splendour of genius, Charles Lamb was surpassed by several of his contemporaries; but as an essayist, he is entitled to a place beside Rabelais, Montaigne, Sir Thomas Browne, Steele, and Addison. He unites many of the characteristics of these several writers. He has refined wit, exquisite humour, a genuine and cordial vein of pleasantry, and heart-touching pathos. In the latter quality his Rosamund Gray will stand a comparison with any piece of the kind that ever was written. His fancy as an essayist is distinguished by great delicacy and tenderness; and even his conceits are embued with human feeling and passion. He had an extreme partiality for our earlier prose writers, particularly for Fuller, Sir Thomas Browne, and Burton, as well as for the dramatists of Shakspeare’s time; and the care with which he studied them is apparent in all he ever wrote. It shines out conspicuously in his style, which has an antique air, and is redolent of the peculiarities of the seventeenth century. Its quaintness has subjected the author to the charge of affectation, but there is nothing really affected in his writings. His style is not so much an imitation, as a reflection, of the older writers; for in spirit he made himself their contemporary. A confirmed habit of studying them in preference to modern literature, had made their style natural to him; and long experience had rendered it not only easy and familiar, but habitual. It was not a masquerade dress he wore, but the costume which showed the man to most advantage. With thought and meaning, often profound, though clothed in simple language, every sentence of his essays is pregnant; and in this respect he bears a strong resemblance to the writers alluded to. If he had their manner, he possessed their spirit likewise. To some of his essays and specimens we are considerably indebted for the revival of the dramatic writers of the Shakspearian age; for he preceded Gifford and others in wiping the dust of ages from these admirable writers. In his brief comments on each specimen, he displays exquisite powers of discrimination. His discernment of the true meaning of the writer is almost infallible. He seizes with unerring precision the proper point of view from which the piece ought to be seen; and this led him with equal success to detail the real centre, whether a character or an event, round which the orb of the drama revolved. His penetrating intellect enabled him to throw more and newer light on the true meaning of some of the great masterpieces of the theatre than any other man. The perfect unison of the style of his annotations with the text which they illustrate, also constitutes a great charm, if not a leading merit. As a poet, Mr Lamb is not entitled to a very high place. Like his prose works, his poetical pieces are written in an antique style, so completely identical with that of Beaumont and Fletcher, Johnson, and others of that era, that they might pass current for genuine specimens of these great writers. In private life Mr Lamb was extremely amiable, and his house was a great resort for wits and men of letters; for, in wit and shrewdness of observation, his conversation was considered as equal to his writings.