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. Previously published: Orlo Williams, Lamb’s Friend the Census-Taker. Life and Letters of John Rickman (Boston and New York, 1912), pp. 68-69 [in part].
These letters were edited with the assistance of Carol Bolton, Tim Fulford and Ian Packer
For permission to publish the text of MSS in their possession, the editor wishes to thank the Beinecke Rare Books and Manuscript Library, Yale University; Berg Collection of English and American Literature, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations; the Bodleian Library Oxford University; the British Library; Boston Public Library; the Syndics of Cambridge University Library; the Syndics of the Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge; Haverford College, Connecticut; the Historical Society of Pennsylvania; the Hornby Library, Liverpool Libraries and Information Services; the Houghton Library, Harvard University; the John Rylands Library, Manchester; the Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas; Luton Museum (Bedfordshire County Council); Massachusetts Historical Society; McGill University Library; the National Library of Scotland; the Newberry Library, Chicago; the New York Public Library (Pforzheimer Collections); the Pierpont Morgan Library, New York; the Public Record Offices of Bedford, Suffolk (Bury St Edmunds) and Northumberland, the Master and Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge; the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne; the Trustees of the William Salt Library, Stafford, the Wisbech and Fenland Museum; the University of Virginia Library.
A research grant from the British Academy made much of the archival work possible, as did support from the English Department of Nottingham Trent University.
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Yesterday (the day after your letterling reached me) I journeyed to
Johnsonsr
Beaumont
Mr
Corry has found out an employment for me – to go
with him & his sonxx
hearing – what I have known God knows how long.
Burnett has a
situation which he cannot keep! – it is only to make up
matter for the Couriernews has been taken from
them. mere childs work – for two or three columns a week –
he receives a guinea & half while on trial – two guineas
if he continues. his sawneying & unteachable indolence
almost surpasses belief. he is tottering now in Coleridges leading strings. I know not what can
become of him. he is in deep water, & will neither
strike out hand or foot to save himself. – Bless the
newspapers! – Lamb also has an engagement – with the Morning
Post. he will be eminently useful
there, & will I doubt not make it a permanent source of
income.
I do not remember whether or not I have mentioned my mothers arrival. she is very ill – there is reason to believe far gone in consumption.
London robs me of all leisure. one calls & another calls – & if I have not those interruptions, the inconvenience of one only sitting room effectually prevents continuous attention to any subject. At the years end I shall not be richer than if this connection with the Irish Chancellor had not existed. true that the salary is gained without effort – & so much exertion saved should be accounted gain. with the year it must end, & my ultimate gain will be that little knowledge of Ireland may be acquired in the next visit. it is worth a years hard travelling to see a floating island.
Thanks for the etymology! –