This selection brings together the best prose writings of the great early nineteenth-century essayist Charles Lamb, whose shrewd wit and convivial style have endeared him to generations of readers. These pieces include early discussions of Hogarth and Shakespeare; masterly essays written under the pen-name 'Elia' that range over such subjects as drunkenness, witches, dreams, marriage and the joy of roast pig; and letters to Lamb's circle of contemporaries, among them Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth. Wryly amused by the world, allusive, searching and endlessly inventive, these are the essential works of a master of English prose. In his introduction Adam Phillips discusses how Charles Lamb's tragic life and sainted reputation, caring for his mentally ill sister Mary, belied the quality of his work. This edition also includes a biographical index of Lamb's correspondents. Charles Lamb (1775-1834) was an English essayist best known for his humorous Essays of Elia from which the essay 'A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig' is taken. Lamb enjoyed a rich social life and became part of a group of young writers that included William Hazlitt, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron and Samuel Taylor Coleridge with whom he shared a lifelong friendship. Lamb never achieved the same literary success as his friends but his influence on the English essay form cannot be underestimated and his book, Specimens of the English Dramatic Poets is remembered for popularising the work of Shakespeare's contemporaries.

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Dive into the literary world of Charles Lamb and Mary Lamb with this comprehensive collection of their complete works, elegantly illustrated for a delightful reading experience. The anthology features timeless classics such as "Tales from Shakespeare," a captivating retelling of the Bard's plays designed for young readers. The collection also includes Charles Lamb's famous "Essays of Elia," a series of brilliant and personal essays that showcase his wit, humor, and keen observations on life. Readers will be transported to the enchanting realm of Greek mythology with "The Adventures of Ulysses," providing a unique perspective on Homer's epic. The illustrated edition enhances the literary journey, bringing these masterpieces to life with visual interpretations that complement the richness of the prose. Whether you're revisiting beloved tales or discovering the Lamb siblings' works for the first time, this collection is a treasure trove of literary gems that captures the essence of their enduring contribution to English literature. The Collaborative Works JOHN WOODVIL TALES FROM SHAKESPEARE MRS. LEICESTER’S SCHOOL POETRY FOR CHILDREN Charles Lamb’s Fiction A TALE OF ROSAMUND GRAY AND OLD BLIND MARGARET THE ADVENTURES OF ULYSSES Charles Lamb’s Plays MR H.; OR BEWARE A BAD NAME THE PAWNBROKER’S DAUGHTER THE WITCH THE WIFE’S TRIAL Charles Lamb’s Non-Fiction ON THE TRAGEDIES OF SHAKESPEARE WITCHES AND OTHER NIGHT FEARS ELIA AND THE LAST ESSAYS OF ELIA RECOLLECTIONS OF CHRIST’S HOSPITAL MISCELLANEOUS PROSE Charles Lamb’s Poetry POEMS FROM BLANK VERSE THE KING AND QUEEN OF HEARTS PRINCE DORUS SATAN IN SEARCH OF A WIFE ALBUM VERSES MISCELLANEOUS POEMS Mary Lamb’s Essay ON NEEDLE-WORK BY ‘SEMPRONIA’ The Letters THE LETTERS OF CHARLES AND MARY LAMB The Criticism CHARLES LAMB by Thomas de Quincey ELIA, AND GEOFFREY CRAYON by William Hazlitt CHARLES LAMB by Walter Pater CHARLES LAMB by Arthur Symons CHARLES LAMB by John Cowper Powys CHARLES LAMB by Charles Edwyn Vaughan CHARLES LAMB by S. P. B. Mais CHARLES LAMB by Hattie Tyng Griswold CHARLES LAMB by Augustine Birrell THE LETTERS OF CHARLES LAMB by Augustine Birrell CHARLES LAMB by A. St. John Adcock

This eBook edition of "The Collected Works of Charles Lamb and Mary Lamb" has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Essays of Elia is a collection of essays written by Charles Lamb, first published in book form in 1823, with a second volume, Last Essays of Elia, issued in 1833. The essays in the collection first began appearing in The London Magazine in 1820 and continued to 1825. The personal and conversational tone of the essays has charmed many readers. Lamb himself is the Elia of the collection, and his sister Mary is "Cousin Bridget." Charles first used the pseudonym Elia for an essay on the South Sea House, where he had worked decades earlier; Elia was the last name of an Italian man who worked there at the same time as Charles, and after that essay the name stuck. Tales from Shakespeare is an English children's book written by Charles and Mary Lamb in 1807. The book is designed to make the stories of Shakespeare's plays familiar to the young. Mary Lamb was responsible for the comedies, while Charles wrote the tragedies; they wrote the preface between them. Volume 1: Curious fragments, extracted from a commonplace-book which belonged to Robert Burton, the famous Author of "The Anatomy of Melancholy" Early Journalism Characters of Dramatic Writers, Contemporary with Shakspeare On the Inconveniences Resulting from Being Hanged On the Danger of Confounding Moral with Personal Deformity: with a Hint to those who have the Framing of Advertisements for Apprehending Offenders... Volume 2: Essays of Elia Last Essays of Elia Volume 3: Tales from Shakespeare The Adventures of Ulysses Mrs. Leicester's School The King and Queen of Hearts Poetry for Children Three Poems Not in "Poetry for Children" Prince Dorus Volume 4: Rosamund Gray, Essays, Etc. Poems Album Verses, With a Few Others Volume 5: The Letters of Charles and Mary Lamb (1796-1820) Volume 6: The Letters of Charles and Mary Lamb (1821-1842)