under the name of Marcellus Palingenius Stollatus. His Zodiacus Vita, a philosophical poem, was published in 1536. Page 99. Existence, considered in itself, no Blessing. First printed in The Athenæum, July 7, 1832. Page 100. To Samuel Rogers, Esq., on the New Edition of his "Pleasures of Memory." First printed in The Times, December 13, 1833. Signed C. Lamb. This is the sonnet mentioned in the letter which is quoted on page 344, in the note to the sonnet to Stothard. The new edition of Pleasures of Memory was published by Moxon in 1833, dated 1834. Page 101. To Clara N. First printed in The Athenæum, July 26, 1834. Clara N was, of course, Clara Anastasia Novello, daughter of Lamb's friend, Vincent Novello (1781-1861), the organist, and herself a fine soprano singer (see also the poem "The Sisters," on the same page). Miss Novello, who was born on June 10, 1818, became the Countess Gigliucci, and survived until March 12, 1908. Clara Novello's Reminiscences, compiled by her daughter, the Contessa Valeria Gigliucci, with a memoir by Arthur Duke Coleridge, were published in 1910. In them is this charming passage :— How I loved dear Charles Lamb! I once hid-to avoid the ignominy of going to bed-in the upright (cabinet) pianoforte, which in its lowest part had a sort of tiny cupboard. In this I fell asleep, awakening only when the party was supping. My appearance from beneath the pianoforte was hailed with surprise by all, and with anger from my mother; but Charles Lamb not only took me under his protection, but obtained that henceforth I should never again be sent to bed when he came, but-glory and delight!-always sit up to supper. Later, in Frith Street days, my Father made me sing to him one day; but [Lamb] stopped me, saying, "Clara, don't make that d-d noise!" for which, I think, I loved him as much as for all the rest. Some verses he sent me were addressed to "St. Clara." In spite of Lamb's declaration about himself and want of musical sense, both Crabb Robinson and Barron Field tell us that he was capable of humming tunes. These verses, printed in Mr. W. C. Hazlitt's Lamb and Hazlitt, 1900, were addressed: "For SAINT Cecilia, "At Sign Vincenzo Novello's They were signed C. Lamb. One might imagine Emma, the nutbrown maid, to be Emma Isola, as that was a phrase Lamb was fond of applying to her-assuming the title "The Sisters" to be a pleasantry; but the late Miss Mary Sabilia Novello assured me that the sisters were herself, Emma Aloysia Novello and Clara Anastasia Novello (see above). Page 102. Love will Come. "Love will Come was included by Lamb in a letter to Miss Fryer, a school-fellow of Emma Isola. Lamb writes: Lamb writes :-" By desire of Emma I have attempted new words to the old nonsense of Tartar Drum; but with the nonsense the sound and spirit of the tune are unaccountably gone, and we have agreed to discard the new version altogether. As you may be more fastidious in singing mere silliness, and a string of well-sounding images without sense or coherence-Drums of Tartars, who use none, and Tulip trees ten foot high, not to mention Spirits in Sunbeams, &c.,-than we are, so you are at liberty to sacrifice an enspiriting movement to a little sense, tho' I like LITTLE SENSE less than his vagarying younger sister No SENSE-so I send them.-The 4th line of Ist stanza is from an old Ballad.” The old ballad is, I imagine, "Waly, Waly," of which Lamb was very fond. Page 102. To Margaret W This poem, believed to be the last that Lamb wrote, was printed in The Athenæum for March 14, 1835. I have not been able to ascertain who Margaret W was. ALBUM VERSES AND ACROSTICS Page 104. What is an Album ? These lines were probably written for Emma Isola's Album, which must not be confounded with her Extract Book. The Album was the volume for which Lamb, in his letters, occasionally solicited contributions. It was sold some years ago to Mr. Quaritch, and is now, I believe, in a private collection, although in a mutilated state, several of the poems having been cut out. These particular lines of Lamb's were probably written by him also in other albums, for John Mathew Gutch, his old school-fellow, discovered them on the fly-leaf of a copy of John Woodvil, and sent them to Notes and Queries, Oct. 11, 1856. In that version the twenty-first line ran : There you have, Madelina, an album complete. Lamb quoted from the lines in his review of his Album Verses, under the title "The Latin Poems of Vincent Bourne," in the Englishman's Magazine (see Vol. I.). Two versions of the lines are copied by Lamb into one of his Commonplace Books. Line 6. Sweet L. E. L's. L. E. L. was, of course, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, afterwards Mrs. Maclean (1802-1838), famous as an Album- and Annual-poetess. Lamb, if an entry in P. G. Patmore's diary is correct, did not admire her, or indeed any female 352 Notes Pp. 105, 107 author. He said, "If she belonged to me I would lock her up and feed her on bread and water till she left off writing poetry." Page 105. The First Leaf of Spring. Printed in The Athenæum, January 10, 1846, contributed probably by Thomas Westwood. In a note prefacing the three poems which he was sending, this correspondent stated that "The First Leaf of Spring" had been printed before, but very obscurely. I have not discovered where. Page 105. To Mrs. F— To Mrs. F—— on Her Return from Gibraltar. This would probably be Mrs. Jane Field, née Carncroft, the wife of Lamb's friend, Barron Field, who inspired the Elia essay on "Distant Correspondents." Field held the Chief Justiceship of Gibraltar for some years. Page 106. To M. L F M. L. Field, the second daughter of Henry Field, and Barron Field's sister. This lady, who lived to a great age, gave Canon Ainger the copy of the prologue to “Richard II." written by Lamb for an amateur performance at her home. Page 106. To Esther Field. Another of Barron Field's sisters. The text of these three poems has been corrected by the Thomas Hutchinson's Oxford edition. Page 107. To Mrs. Williams. See note above. In writing to Mrs. Williams on April 2, 1830, to tell of Emma Isola's safe journey after her illness, Lamb says:"How I employed myself between Epping and Enfield the poor verses in the front of my paper may inform you, which you may please to christen an Acrostic in a Cross Road." Mrs. Williams replied with the following acrostic upon Lamb's name, which Mr. Cecil Turner, a descendant, has sent me and which I give according to his copy : TO CHARLES LAMB Answer to Acrostics on the Names of Two Friends. Charmed with the lines thy hand has sent, Honour I feel thy compliment, Amongst thy products that have won the ear Ranged in thy verse two friends most dear. Lay not thy winning pen away, Each line thou writest we bid thee stay, Long-linked, long-lived by public fame, Bestowed by Heaven a kindlier mind. The two friends were Cecilia Catherine Lawton (see page 64) and Edward Hogg (see page 109). In reply Lamb says (Good Friday, 1830) :-"I do assure you that your verses gratified me very much, and my sister is quite proud of them. For the first time in my life I congratulated myself upon the shortness and meanness of my name. Had it been Schwartzenberg or Esterhazy it would have put you to some puzzle." Later in the same letter, referring to the present acrostic, he said speaking of Harriet Isola, Emma's sister, she "blames my last verses as being more written on Mr. Williams than on yourself; but how should I have parted whom a Superior Power has brought together?" Page 107. To the Book. Written for the Album of Sophia Elizabeth Frend, afterwards the wife of Augustus De Morgan, the mathematician (1806-1871), and mother of the novelist Mr. William De Morgan. Her father was William Frend (1757-1841), the reformer and a friend of Crabb Robinson and George Dyer. The lines were printed in Mrs. De Morgan's Three Score Years and Ten, as are also those that follow" To S. F." Page 108. To R. Q. From the Album of Rotha Quillinan. Page 109. To S. L. To M. L. I have not been able to identify the Lockes. The J. F. of the last line might be Jane Field. Copies of these poems are preserved at South Kensington. Page 109. An Acrostic against Acrostics. Edward Hogg was a friend of Mr. Williams (see above). These verses were first printed in The Lambs by Mr. W. C. Hazlitt. Page 110. Ôn being Asked to Write in Miss Westwood's Album. Frances Westwood was the daughter of the Westwoods, with whom the Lambs were domiciled at Enfield Chase in 1829-1832. See letters to Gillman and Wordsworth (November 30, 1829, and January 22, 1830) for description of the Westwoods. The only son, Thomas Westwood, who died in 1888, and was an authority on the literature of angling, contributed to Notes and Queries some very interesting reminiscences of the Lambs in those days. This poem and that which follows it were sent to Notes and Queries by Thomas Westwood (June 4, 1870). It is concerning these lines that Lamb writes to Barton, in 1827 :— "Adieu to Albums-for a great while-I said when I came here, and had not been fixed two days, but my Landlord's daughter (not at the Pot-house) requested me to write in her female friend's, and in her own. If I go to thou art there also, O all pervading Album! All over the Leeward Islands, in Newfoundland, and the Back Settlements, I understand there is no other reading. They haunt me. I die of Albo-phobia!" Page III. Un Solitaire. E. I., who made the drawing in question, would be Emma Isola. The verses were copied by Lamb into his Album, which is now in the possession of Mrs. Alfred Morrison. Page III. To S[arah] T[homas]. From Lamb's Album. I have not been able to trace this lady. From the copy preserved among Henry Crabb Robinson's papers at Dr. Williams' Library. Sarah Robinson was the niece of H. C. R., who was the pilgrim in Rome. The stranger to thy land was Emma Isola, Fornham, in Suffolk, where she was living, being near to Bury St. Edmunds, the home of the Robinsons. Page 112. To Sarah. From the Album of Sarah Apsey. Lamb seems to have known very many Sarahs. Page 112. To Joseph Vale Asbury. From Lamb's Album. Jacob (not Joseph, as Lamb supposed) Vale Asbury was the Lambs' doctor at Enfield. There are extant two amusing letters from Lamb to Asbury. Page 113. To D. A. From Lamb's Album. Dorothy Asbury, the wife of the doctor. From Lamb's Album. Louisa Morgan was probably the daughter Sarah James was Mary Lamb's nurse, and the sister of the Mrs. Parsons with whom she lived during the last years of her life. Miss James was the daughter of the rector of Beguildy, in Shropshire. The verses are reprinted from My Lifetime by the late John Hollingshead, who was the great-nephew of Miss James and Mrs. Parsons. Page 114. To Emma Button. Included in a letter from Lamb to John Aitken, editor of The Cabinet, July 5, 1825. Page 114. Written upon the cover of a blotting book. The Mirror, May 7, 1836. Identified by Mr. Walter Jerrold. First collected by Mr. Thomas Hutchinson. Page 115. POLITICAL AND Other Epigrams. Lamb was not a politician, but he had strong-almost passionate -prejudices against certain statesmen and higher persons, which impelled him now and then to sarcastic verse. The earliest examples in this vein that can be identified are two quatrains from the Morning Post in January, 1802, printed on page 115, and the epi |