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　　LETTER 37

　　CHARLES LAMB TO ROBERT SOUTHEY

　　Nov. 3, 1798.

　　I have read your Eclogue ["The Wedding"] repeatedly, and cannot call it bald, or without interest; the cast of it, and the design are completely original, and may set people upon thinking: it is as poetical as the subject requires, which asks no poetry; but it is defective in pathos. The woman's own story is the tamest part of it—I should like you to remould that—it too much resembles the young maid's history: both had been in service. Even the omission would not injure the poem; after the words "growing wants," you might, not unconnectedly, introduce "look at that little chub" down to "welcome one." And, decidedly, I would have you end it somehow thus,

　　"Give them at least this evening a good meal.

　　Gives her money.

　　Now, fare thee well; hereafter you have taught me

　　To give sad meaning to the village-bells," &c.,

　　which would leave a stronger impression (as well as more pleasingly recall the beginning of the Eclogue), than the present common-place reference to a better world, which the woman "must have heard at church." I should like you, too, a good deal to enlarge the most striking part, as it might have been, of the poem—"Is it idleness?" &c., that affords a good field for dwelling on sickness and inabilities, and old age. And you might also a good deal enrich the piece with a picture of a country wedding: the woman might very well, in a transient fit of oblivion, dwell upon the ceremony and circumstances of her own nuptials six years ago, the smugness of the bride-groom, the feastings, the cheap merriment, the welcomings, and the secret envyings of the maidens—then dropping all this, recur to her present lot. I do not know that I can suggest anything else, or that I have suggested anything new or material.

　　I shall be very glad to see some more poetry, though I fear your trouble in transcribing will be greater than the service my remarks may do them.

　　Yours affectionately,

　　C. LAMB.

　　I cut my letter short because I am called off to business. The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 5