2
Notes, which, it should be pointed out, are much fuller in my large edition. The three-part essay on "The Old Actors" (London Magazine, February, April, and October, 1822), from which Lamb prepared the three essays; "On Some of the Old Actors," "The Artificial Comedy of the Last Century," and "The Acting of Munden," is printed in the Appendix as it first appeared. The absence of the "Confessions of a Drunkard" from this volume is due to the fact that Lamb did not include it in the first edition of The Last Essays of Elia. It was inserted later, in place of "A Death-Bed," on account of objections that were raised to that essay by the family of Randal Norris. The story is told in the notes to "A Death-Bed." The "Confessions of a Drunkard" will be found in Vol. I.
In Mr. Bedford's design for the cover of this edition certain Elian symbolism will be found. The upper coat of arms is that of Christ's Hospital, where Lamb was at school; the lower is that of the Inner Temple, where he was born and spent many years. The figures at the bells are those which once stood out from the façade of St. Dunstan's Church in Fleet Street, and are now in Lord Londesborough's garden in Regent's Park. Lamb shed tears when they were removed. The tricksy sprite and the candles (brought by Betty) need no explanatory words of mine.
E.V.L.
CONTENTS
APPENDIX TEXT NOTE PAGE PAGE
The South-Sea House 1 342 Oxford in the Vacation 8 345 Christ's Hospital Five and Thirty Years Ago 14 350 The Two Races of Men 26 355 New Year's Eve 31 358 Mrs. Battle's Opinions on Whist 37 361 A
Chapter on
Ears 43 363 All Fools' Day 48 367 A Quaker's Meeting 51 367 The Old and the New Schoolmaster 56 369 Valentine's Day 63 370 Imperfect Sympathies 66 370 Witches, and other Night-Fears 74 372 My Relations 80 373 Mackery End, in Hertfordshire 86 375 Modern Gallantry 90 377 The Old Benchers of the Inner Temple 94 379 Grace Before Meat 104 384 My First Play 1The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb, Volume 2, page 1
by Charles Lamb