IN THE FOOTPRINTS OF
CHARLES LAMB

CHARLES LAMB.

IN THE FOOTPRINTS OF
CHARLES LAMB

BY
Benjamin Ellis Martin
AUTHOR OF “OLD CHELSEA,” ETC.

ILLUSTRATED BY HERBERT RAILTON
AND JOHN FULLEYLOVE

WITH A BIBLIOGRAPHY BY E. D. NORTH

NEW YORK
CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS
1890


Copyright, 1890, by
CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS.

Press of J. J. Little & Co.
Astor Place, New York.

TO
L.   H.   F.
 

During the half-century since the death of Charles Lamb, an immensemass of matter has been gathered about him and about his writings. Inburrowing among the treasures and the rubbish of this mound, I have beenstruck by the total absence of what may be called a topographicalbiography of the man, or of any accurate record of his rovings: with theexception of that necessarily brief one contained in Mr. LaurenceHutton’s invaluable “Literary Landmarks of London.” Such a shortcomingis the more marked, inasmuch as Lamb is so closely identified with theTown. Not one among the men of letters, whose shadows walk the Londonstreets with us, knew them better, or loved them more, than he did. Infollowing his footsteps, I have found still untouched many of the housesthat harboured him; and I have taken delight in the task, before therestless hand of reconstruction shall have plucked them forever away, ofhelping to keep alive the look of all that is left of the walls withinwhich he lived and laboured.

From this mere memento of brick-and-mortar—all my original intent—Ihave been led on to a study of the man himself, from our more modernand more humane point of view. The time has long gone by for that kindlycompact of reticence which may have been becoming in the years directlyafter his death. Nothing need be hidden now about the madness of Mary,about the terrible taking-off of her mother, about the early insanity ofCharles himself, or his later weaknesses. And, in telling the entiretruth, I have found comfort and cheer in the belief that neither apologynor homily can ever again be deemed needful to a decorous demeanourbesid