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　　LETTER 146

　　CHARLES LAMB TO WILLIAM HAZLITT

　　[Dated at end: Feb. 19, 1806.]

　　Dear H.—Godwin has just been here in his way from Johnson's. Johnson has had a fire in his house; this happened about five weeks ago; it was in the daytime, so it did not burn the house down, but did so much damage that the house must come down, to be repaired: his nephew that we met on Hampstead Hill put it out: well, this fire has put him so back, that he craves one more month before he gives you an answer.

　　I will certainly goad Godwin (if necessary) to go again this very day four weeks; but I am confident he will want no goading.

　　Three or four most capital auctions of Pictures advertised. In May, Welbore Ellis Agar's, the first private collection in England, so Holcroft says. In March, Sir George Young's in Stratford-place (where Cosway lives), and a Mr. Hulse's at Blackheath, both very capital collections, and have been announc'd for some months. Also the Marquis of Lansdowne's Pictures in March; and though inferior to mention, lastly, the Tructhsessian gallery. Don't your mouth water to be here?

　　T'other night Loftus called, whom we have not seen since you went before. We meditate a stroll next Wednesday, Fast-day. He happened to light upon Mr. Holcroft's Wife, and Daughter, their first visit at our house.

　　Your brother called last night. We keep up our intimacy. He is going to begin a large Madona and child from Mrs. H. and baby, I fear he goes astray after ignes fatui. He is a clever man. By the bye, I saw a miniature of his as far excelling any in his shew cupboard (that of your sister not excepted) as that shew cupboard excells the shew things you see in windows—an old woman—damn her name—but most superlative; he has it to clean—I'll ask him the name—but the best miniature I ever saw, equal to Cooper and them fellows. But for oil pictures!—what has he [to] do with Madonas? if the Virgin Mary were alive and visitable, he would not hazard himself in a Covent-Garden-pit-door crowd to see her. It ain't his style of beauty, is it?—But he will go on painting things he ought not to paint, and not painting things he ought to paint.

　　Manning is not gone to China, but talks of going this Spring. God forbid!

　　Coleridge not heard of.

　　I, going to leave off smoke. In mean time am so smoky with last night's 10 Pipes, that I must leave off.

　　Mary begs her kind remembrances.

　　Pray write to us—

　　This is no Letter, but I supposed you grew anxious about Johnson.

　　N.B.—Have taken a room at 3/- a week, to be in between 5 & 8 at night, to avoid my nocturnal alias knock-eternal visitors. The first-fruits of my retirement has been a farce which goes to manager tomorrow. Wish my ticket luck. God bless you, and do write,—Yours, fumosissimus,

　　C. LAMB.

　　Wednesday, 19 Feb., 1806.

　　[Johnson was the publisher whom we have already seen considering

　　Hazlitt's abridgment of the Light of Nature Revealed.

　　Lamb was always interested in sales of pictures: the on-view days gave

　　him some of his best opportunities of seeing good painting. The

　　Truchsessian Picture Gallery was in New Road, opposite Portland Place.

　　Exhibitions were held annually, the pictures being for sale.

　　Loftus was Tom Loftus of Wisbech, a cousin of Hazlitt.

　　Holcroft's wife at that time, his fourth, was Louisa Mercier, who afterwards married Lamb's friend, James Kenney, the dramatist. The daughter referred to was probably Fanny Holcroft, who subsequently wrote novels and translations.

　　Cooper, the miniature painter, was Samuel Cooper (1609-1672), a connection by marriage of Pope's mother, and the painter of Cromwell and other interesting men.

　　Lamb's N.B. contains his first mention of his farce "Mr. H." We are not told where the 3s. room was situated. Possibly in the Temple.] The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 5