She is older, wiser, and better than I am; and all my wretched
imperfections I cover to myself, by resolutely thinking on her goodness.
She would share life and death with me." This (to anticipate) was written
in 1805, when she was suffering from one of her attacks of illness. After
she became better, he became better also, and opened his heart to the
pleasures and objects around him. It was open at all times to want, and
sickness, and wretchedness, and generally to the friendly voices and
homely realities that rose up and surrounded him in his daily walk through
life.
During all his years he was encircled by groups of loving friends. There
were no others habitually round him. It is reported of some person that he
had not merit enough to create a foe. In Lamb's case, I suppose, he did
not possess that peculiar merit; for he lived and died without an enemy.
CHAPTER III.
_Jem White.--Coleridge.--Lamb's Inspiration.--Early Letters.--Poem
published.--Charles Lloyd.--Liking for Burns, &c.--Quakerism.--Robert
Southey.--Southey and Coleridge.--Antijacobin.--Rosamond Gray.-George
Dyer.-Manning.--Mary's Illnesses.--Migrations.--Hester Savory._
After the pain arising from the deaths of his parents had somewhat
subsided, and his sorrow, exhausting itself in the usual manner, had given
way to calm, the story of Lamb becomes mainly an account of his
intercourse with society.
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