Charles Lamb | Page 8

the favour of the few who had been
privileged to know him, to hear his stammered wit, his spoken wisdom.
Though this period from 1809 to 1817 is not marked by the production
of notable books, it was during this time that he contributed to Leigh
Hunt's "Reflector," wrote his "Recollections of Christ's Hospital" for
the "Gentleman's Magazine," and his "Confessions of a Drunkard" for a
friend's publication. Here were most Elia-like precursors of the famous
"Essays."
In the autumn of 1817 the Lambs removed from the Temple in which
they had passed the greater part of their lives, taking rooms over a
brazier's shop at 20, Russell Street, Covent Garden, at the corner of
Bow Street, where, as Mary Lamb put it, they had "Drury Lane Theatre
in sight of our front, and Covent Garden from our back windows."
Covent Garden, as Charles said, "dearer to me than any garden of
Alcinous, where we are morally sure of the earliest peas and 'sparagus."
One of the first letters from the new lodgings Lamb whimsically
addressed as from "The Garden of England." The half dozen years
during which he lived here forms from a literary point of view the most
memorable period of Lamb's life. Here he arranged for the publication
of the two precious little volumes of his "Works" which were issued in
the summer of 1818--volumes which he found "admirably adapted for
giving away," having no exaggerated idea of the sensation which the
publication was likely to make. That publication was arranged,
apparently, at the request of the publishers, the brothers Ollier, whom
he now numbered among his friends. Writing to Southey of the venture
he said: "I do not know whether I have done a silly thing or a wise one,
but it is of no great consequence. I run no risk and care for no censure."
Here in Russell Street Lamb continued his sociable weekly
evenings--changed from Wednesdays to Thursdays--here, indeed, he
had to chafe anew at the difficulty of having himself to himself; he was
never C. L., he declared, but always C. L. and Co. He had, indeed,
something of a genius for friendship; however much he might wish to
be alone, he was, there can be little doubt, ever genial, ever his wise

and whimsical self, even when suffering under the untimely advent of
"Mr. Hazlitt, Mr. Martin Burney, or Morgan Demigorgon"; he had to
suffer--or imagine that he suffered--from the effects of a personal
charm of which he was wholly unaware; but if he had not been so
friendlily accessible the world would probably have lacked record of
many of the delightful hints which help towards our realization of one
of the most attractive personalities in our literary history.
[Illustration: SKETCH OF CHARLES LAMB AT THE AGE OF
FORTY-FOUR. BY G. F. JOSEPH, A.R.A. From the original in the
Print Room of the British Museum.]
Lamb was already in middle age--in his forty-sixth year--when there
came to him an opportunity of expressing himself in the way best
suited to his genius. Early in 1820 there was started a new periodical
under the simple title of "The London Magazine." Several of Lamb's
friends were among the contributors, and he also was probably invited
to write for it at an early date. His first contribution appeared in the
number for August signed "Elia" (call it "Ellia," said he), the name
having occurred to Lamb's memory as that of a whilom fellow-clerk of
his thirty years earlier at the South Sea House; for several years he
continued his contributions to this remarkable miscellany, finding in
the personal informal essay the most congenial medium for expressing
his mature wisdom, his whimsical humour, his radiant wit. By the close
of 1822 there were essays enough to make a volume, and in 1823, such
duly appeared. Even with this Lamb was not to touch popularity--it
may be doubted whether he ever did that in his lifetime. He was known,
admired, loved by a large circle of friends and acquaintances, but his
work made little impression, we may believe, upon the wider reading
public; it was, however, fully appreciated by those of his
contemporaries best able to judge, and "Elia" came to be recognized as
one of the literary mainstays of a magazine which counted among its
contributors, De Quincey, Allan Cunningham, B. W. Procter, William
Hazlitt, Hartley Coleridge, Horace Smith, and many more writers of
note in their day.
Little more than six months after Lamb's first essay signed "Elia" had

appeared in the "London," the editor of that magazine was wounded in
a duel and died, and in the summer of 1821 the periodical changed
hands, but retained its brilliant staff of contributors, and acquired the
services of Thomas Hood, then a young man of two-and-twenty, as a
"sort