puty-Grecian," "Grecian," etc., were of course forms, or grades,
at Christ's Hospital.

CVI.

TO MR. MOXON [1].

_February_, 1832.

Dear Moxon,--The snows are ankle-deep, slush, and mire, that 't is hard
to get to the post-office, and cruel to send the maid out. 'Tis a slough
of despair, or I should sooner have thanked you for your offer of the
"Life," which we shall very much like to have, and will return duly. I
do not know when I shall be in town, but in a week or two at farthest,
when I will come as far as you, if I can. We are moped to death with
confinement within doors, I send you a curiosity of G. Dyer's tender
conscience. Between thirty and forty years since, George published the
"Poet's Fate," in which were two very harmless lines about Mr. Rogers;
but Mr. R. not quite approving of them, they were left out in a
subsequent edition, 1801. But George has been worrying about them ever
since; if I have heard him once, I have heard him a hundred times
express a remorse proportioned to a consciousness of having been guilty
of an atrocious libel. As the devil would have it, a fool they call
Barker, in his "Parriana" has quoted the identical two lines as they
stood in some obscure edition anterior to 1801, and the withers of poor
George are again wrung, His letter is a gem: with his poor blind eyes it
has been labored out at six sittings. The history of the couplet is in
page 3 of this irregular production, in which every variety of shape and
size that letters can be twisted into is to be found. Do show _his_ part
of it to Mr. Rogers some day. If he has bowels, they must melt at the
contrition so queerly charactered of a contrite sinner. G. was born, I
verily think, without original sin, but chooses to have a conscience, as
every Christian gentleman should have; his dear old face is
insusceptible of the twist they call a sneer, yet he is apprehensive of
being suspected of that ugly appearance. When he makes a compliment, he
thinks he has given an affront,--a name is personality. But show (no
hurry) this unique recantation to Mr. Rogers: 't is like a dirty
pocket-handerchief mucked with tears of some indigent Magdalen. There is
the impress of sincerity in every pot-hook and hanger; and then the gilt
frame to such a pauper picture! It should go into the Museum.

[1] Lamb's future publisher. He afterwards became the husband
of Lamb's _protegee_, Emma Isola.

CVII.

TO MR. MOXON.

_July_ 24, 1833.