Charles Lamb was an English essayist, poet, and antiquarian, best known for his Essays of Elia and for the children's book Tales from Shakespeare, co-authored with his sister, Mary Lamb (1764–1847).
Portrait by Henry Hoppner Meyer
Portrait of Charles Lamb by William Hazlitt, 1804
Memorial to Charles Lamb at Watch House in Giltspur Street, London
Fanny Kelly "Entertains" from "The Works of Charles Lamb". The original caption said "Mr Lamb having taken the liberty of addressing a slight compliment to Miss Kelly in his first volume, respectfully requests her acceptance of the collection. 7 June 1818."
Tales from Shakespeare is an English children's book written by the siblings Charles and Mary Lamb in 1807, intended "for the use of young persons" while retaining as much Shakespearean language as possible. Mary Lamb was responsible for retelling the comedies and Charles the tragedies. They omitted the more complex historical tales, including all Roman plays, and modified those they chose to retell in a manner sensitive to the needs of young children, but without resorting to actual censoring. However, subplots and sexual references were removed. They wrote the preface together.
Fifth edition title page (1831)
1909 Illustration for Romeo and Juliet by Arthur Rackham
