Lamb, Charles

To accompany a copy of his Essays of Elia ("an Elia was book'd off to you from Spread Eagle Gracechurch St this 24 Jan 23..."), arranging a time to recieve "Fox," and expressing thanks for a sonnet (..."tho' I am not mad enough to take the last line for any thing more than a pretty alliteration."), one page, 8vo (7  3 / 8  x  4  5 / 8  in.; 190 x 116 mm), integral address leaf ("JB. Barton Esq. | Woodbridge | Suffolk"), n.p., 24 January 1923; adhesive residue to two corners of second leaf and some losses and browning (not affecting text), two marginal tears neatly repaired. Red morocco-backed folder.

Halsted B. Vander Poel — E.H. Mills (bookplate) — sale, Christie's South Kensington, 16 November 2004, lot 480 [part lot]. acquisition: James Cummins

In 1820, Lamb began writing for John Scott's London Magazine, under the pseudonym "Elia." His collected essays were then published in early 1823 with the title Essays of Elia.

Bernard Barton (1784-1849), a Suffolk bank clerk and Quaker poet, had made the acquaintance of Lamb at a London Magazine dinner, on which occasion Lamb had made some remark on Quakers and poetry at which Barton had taken offense. Lamb was quick to write to Barton to correct the misunderstanding, and the two became close friends. At Lamb's request, Barton arranged for a copy of George Fox's Journal to be loaned to him, the practicalities of which are here discussed: "I'd like to receive Fox at 20 Rupert Street — but no hurry. A month hence w^d  suit me better than now."

Upon finishing the book in February, Lamb wrote again to Barton: "The kind hearted owner trusted it to me for six months. I think I was about as many days in getting through it, and I do not think that I skipt a word of it."