Printed in the _London Magazine_, October, 1820, where it was preceded
by these words:--

"To THE EDITOR

"Mr. Editor,--The riddling lines which I send you, were written upon a
young lady, who, from her diverting sportiveness in childhood, was named
by her friends The Ape. When the verses were written, L.M. had outgrown
the title--but not the memory of it--being in her teens, and
consequently past child-tricks. They are an endeavour to express that
perplexity, which one feels at any alteration, even supposed for the
better, in a beloved object; with a little oblique grudging at Time, who
cannot bestow new graces without taking away some portion of the older
ones, which we can ill miss.

"*****."

L.M. was Louisa Martin, who is now and then referred to in Lamb's letter
as Monkey, and to whom he addressed the lines on page 82, which come as
a sequel to the present ones. In a letter to Wordsworth, many years
later, dated February 22, 1834, Lamb asks a favour for this lady:--"The
oldest and best friends I have left are in trouble. A branch of them
(and they of the best stock of God's creatures, I believe) is
establishing a school at Carlisle; Her name is Louisa Martin ... her
qualities ... are the most amiable, most upright. For thirty years she
has been tried by me, and on her behaviour I would stake my soul."

* * * * *

Page 90. _In Tabulam Eximii...._

These Latin verses were printed in _The Champion_, May 6 and 7, 1820,
signed Carlagnulus, accompanied by this notice: "We insert, with great
pleasure, the following beautiful Latin Verses on HAYDON'S fine Picture,
and shall be obliged to any of our correspondents for a spirited
translation for our next." The following week brought one
translation--Lamb's own--signed C.L. Both were reprinted in _The
Poetical Recreations of "The Champion"_ in 1822, and again in Tom
Taylor's _Life of Haydon_, 1853.

Benjamin Robert Haydon (1786-1846) was for six years at work upon this
picture--"Christ's Entry into Jerusalem"--which was exhibited at the
Egyptian Hall in 1820. The story goes that Mrs. Siddons established the
picture's reputation in society. While the private-view company were
assembled in doubt the great actress entered and walked across the room.
"It is completely successful," she was heard to say to Sir George
Beaumont; and then, to Haydon, "The paleness of your Christ gives it a
supernatural look." A stream of 30,000 persons