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 facade 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                                                  TEXT   NOTE
PAGE   PAGE

Dedication 1 307
Lamb’s earliest poem, “Mille viae mortis” 3 307
Poems in Coleridge’s Poems on Various Subjects, 1796:—­
“As when a child ...” 4 308
“Was it some sweet device ...” 4 309
“Methinks how dainty sweet ...” 5 311
“Oh!  I could laugh ...” 5 311
From Charles Lloyd’s Poems on the Death of Priscilla
Farmer, 1796;—­
The Grandame 6 312
Poems from Coleridge’s Poems, 1797:—­
“When last I roved ...” 8 315
“A timid grace ...” 8 315
“If from my lips ...” 9 315
“We were two pretty babes ...” 9 315
Childhood 9 315
The Sabbath Bells 10 316
Fancy Employed on Divine Subjects 10 316
The Tomb of Douglas 11 316
To Charles Lloyd 12 316
A Vision of Repentance 13 317
Poems Written in the Years 1795-98, and not Reprinted by
Lamb:—­
“The Lord of Life ...” 16 317
To the Poet Cowper 16 317
Lines addressed to Sara and S.T.C. 17 318
Sonnet to a Friend 18 318
To a Young Lady 18 319
Living Without God in the World 19 319
Poems from Blank Verse, by Charles Lloyd and Charles
Lamb, 1798:—­
To Charles Lloyd 21 320
Written on the Day of My Aunt’s Funeral 21 320
Written a Year After the Events 22 321
Written Soon After the Preceding Poem 24 322
Written on Christmas Day, 1797 25 322
The Old Familiar Faces