d he
has put your other piece into C. Kemble's hands (the piece you talk of
offering Elliston) and C.K. sent down word that he had not yet had time
to read it. So stand your affairs at present. Glossop has got the
Murderer. Will you address him on the subject, or shall I--that is,
Mary? She says you must write more _showable_ letters about these
matters, for, with all our trouble of crossing out this word, and giving
a cleaner turn to th' other, and folding down at this part, and
squeezing an obnoxious epithet into a corner, she can hardly communicate
their contents without offence. What, man, put less gall in your ink, or
write me a biting tragedy!

C. LAMB.

[Here should come a letter from Lamb to Ayrton asking him to meet the
Burneys and Paynes on Wednesday at half-past four.]

LETTER 310

CHARLES LAMB TO JOHN HOWARD PAYNE

February [9], 1823.

My dear Miss Lamb--I have enclosed for you Mr. Payne's piece called
Grandpapa, which I regret to say is not thought to be of the nature that
will suit this theatre; but as there appears to be much merit in it, Mr.
Kemble strongly recommends that you should send it to the English Opera
House, for which it seems to be excellently adapted. As you have already
been kind enough to be our medium of communication with Mr. Payne, I
have imposed this trouble upon you; but if you do not like to act for
Mr. Payne in the business, and have no means of disposing of the piece,
I will forward it to Paris or elsewhere as you think he may prefer.

Very truly yours,

HENRY ROBERTSON.

T.R.C.G., 8 Feb. 1823.

Dear P---- We have just received the above, and want your instructions.
It strikes me as a very merry little piece, that should be played by
_very young actors_. It strikes me that Miss Clara Fisher would play the
_boy_ exactly. She is just such a forward chit. No young _man_ would do
it without its appearing absurd, but in a girl's hands it would have
just all the reality that a short dream of an act requires. Then for the
sister, if Miss Stevenson that was, were Miss Stevenson and younger,
they two would carry it off. I do not know who they have got in that
young line, besides Miss C.F., at Drury, nor how you would like Elliston
to have it--has he not had it? I am thick with Arnold, but I have always
heard that the very slender profits of the English Opera House do not
admit of his giving above a trifle, or next to none, for a piece of this
kind. Write me what I should