md to
advert to that melancholy event. Monkhouse was a character I learnd to
love slowly, but it grew upon me, yearly, monthly, daily. What a chasm
has it made in our pleasant parties! His noble friendly face was always
coming before me, till this hurrying event in my life came, and for the
time has absorpt all interests. In fact it has shaken me a little. My
old desk companions with whom I have had such merry hours seem to
reproach me for removing my lot from among them. They were pleasant
creatures, but to the anxieties of business, and a weight of possible
worse ever impending, I was not equal. Tuthill and Gilman gave me my
certificates. I laughed at the friendly lie implied in them, but my
sister shook her head and said it was all true. Indeed this last winter
I was jaded out, winters were always worse than other parts of the year,
because the spirits are worse, and I had no daylight. In summer I had
daylight evenings. The relief was hinted to me from a superior power,
when I poor slave had not a hope but that I must wait another 7 years
with Jacob--and lo! the Rachel which I coveted is bro't to me--

Have you read the noble dedication of Irving's "Missionary Orations" to
S.T.C. Who shall call this man a Quack hereafter? What the Kirk will
think of it neither I nor Irving care. When somebody suggested to him
that it would not be likely to do him good, videlicet among his own
people, "That is a reason for doing it" was his noble answer.

That Irving thinks he has profited mainly by S.T.C., I have no doubt.
The very style of the Ded. shows it.

Communicate my news to Southey, and beg his pardon for my being so long
acknowledging his kind present of the "Church," which circumstances I do
not wish to explain, but having no reference to himself, prevented at
the time. Assure him of my deep respect and friendliest feelings.

Divide the same, or rather each take the whole to you, I mean you and
all yours. To Miss Hutchinson I must write separate. What's her address?
I want to know about Mrs. M.

Farewell! and end at last, long selfish Letter!

C. LAMB.

[Lamb expanded the first portion of this letter into the _Elia_ essay
"The Superannuated Man," which ought to be read in connection with it
(see Vol. II. of the present edition).

Leigh Hunt and James Montgomery, the poet, had both undergone
imprisonment for libel.

At a Court of Directors of the India House held on March 29, 1825, it
was resolved "that the res