Hone's Table Book, Vol. I., cols. 425-426, 1827. Signed "L.," and dated London, February 10, 1827. The essay is very slightly altered from a letter written by Lamb to Crabb Robinson, January 20, 1827, describing the death of Randal Morris. It was printed in the first edition only of the Last Essays of Elia; its place being taken afterwards by the "Confessions of a Drunkard," an odd exchange. The essay was omitted, in deference, it is believed, to the objection of Mrs. Norris to her reduced circumstances being made public. As the present edition adheres to the text of the first edition, "The Death-Bed" is included in its original place as decided by the author. The "Confessions of a Drunkard" will be found in Vol. I.
Randal Norris was for many years sub-treasurer of the Inner Temple (see postscript to the essay on the "Old Benchers"). Writing to Wordsworth in 1830 Lamb spoke of him as "sixty years ours and our father's friend." An attempt has been made to identify him with the Mr. Norris of Christ's Hospital who was so kind to the Lambs after the tragedy of September, 1796. I cannot find any trace of Randal Norris having been connected with anything but the law and the Inner Temple; but possibly the Mr. Norris of the school was a relative.
Mrs. Randal Norris was connected with Widford, the village adjoining Blakesware, where she had known Mary Field, Lamb's grandmother. It was thither that she and her son retired after Randal Norris's death, to join her daughters, Miss Betsy and Miss Jane, who had a school for girls known as Goddard House School. Lamb kept up his friendship with them to the end, and they corresponded with Mary Lamb after his death. Mrs. Norris died in 1843, aged seventy-eight, and was buried at Widford. The grave of Richard Norris, the son, is also there. He died in 1836. One of the daughters, Elizabeth, married Charles Tween, of Widford, and lived until 1894. The other daughter, Jane, married Arthur Tween, his brother, and lived until 1891.
Mary Lamb was a bridesmaid at the Norris's wedding and after the ceremony accompanied the bride and bridegroom to Richmond for the day. So one of their daughters told Canon Ainger.
Crabb Robinson seems to have exerted himself for the family, as Lamb wished. Mr. W.C. Hazlitt says that an annuity of £80 was settled upon Mrs. Norris.
Page 279, last line. To the last he called me Jemmy. In the letter to Crabb Robinson—"To the last he called me Charley. I have none to call me Charley now."
Page 280, line 2. That bound me to B——. In the letter to Crabb
Robinson—"that bound me to the Temple."
Page 280, line 14. Your Corporation Library. In the letter—"The
Temple Library."
Page 280, line 19. He had one Song. Garrick's "Hearts of Oak."
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