Charles Lamb
Charles Lamb
Charles Lambwas an English writer and essayist, best known for his Essays of Elia and for the children's book Tales from Shakespeare, which he produced with his sister, Mary Lamb...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionChildren's Author
Date of Birth10 February 1775
abundance alley bargains blest blind cannot cause children commonly consider defeat few fond hopes life marriages people poorest possibly pride rarity street taking turn vicious
When I consider how little of a rarity children are / that every street and blind alley swarms with them / that the poorest people commonly have them in most abundance / that there are few marriages that are not blest with at least one of these bargains / how often they turn out ill, and defeat the fond hopes of their parents, taking to vicious courses, which end in poverty, disgrace, the gallows, etc. / I cannot for my life tell what cause for pride there can possibly be in having them.
children believe names
Shut not thy purse-strings always against painted distress. Act a charity sometimes. When a poor creature (outwardly and visibly such) comes before thee, do not stay to inquire whether the "seven small children," in whose name he implores thy assistance, have a veritable existence. Rake not into the bowels of unwelcome truth, to save a halfpenny. It is good to believe him.
sarcastic voice obnoxious
His voice was the most obnoxious squeak I ever was tormented with.
family shadow pieces
A poor relation is the most irrelevant thing in nature, a piece of non pertinent correspondence, an odious approximation, a haunting conscience, a preposterous shadow, lengthening in the noontide of our prosperity.
use
A laxity pervades the popular use of words.
children parent serious
A child's nature is too serious a thing to admit of its being regarded as a mere appendage to another being.
eye heaven black
A Persian's heaven is eas'ly made: 'T is but black eyes and lemonade.
character nerves wit
Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.
friends party going-away
The going away of friends does not make the remainder more precious. It takes so much from them as there was a common link. A. B. and C. make a party. A. dies. B. not only loses A. but all A.'s part in C. C. loses A.'s part in B., and so the alphabet sickens by subtraction of interchangeables.
sight shy monkeys
We are ashamed at the sight of a monkey--somehow as we are shy of poor relations.
men vices magnificent
The vices of some men are magnificent.
world may shade
As half in shade and half in sun This world along its path advances, May that side the sun 's upon Be all that e'er shall meet thy glances!
Presents, I often say, endear absents.
years heaven spheres
Take all the pleasures of all the spheres, And multiply each through endless years,- One minute of heaven is worth them all.