Henry Crabb Robinson, 3 Kings Bench Walk, Temple, London, to Thomas Carlyle, Main Hill, Ecclefechan, Dumfries Shire, Scotland, 8 May 1825.  

8th May 1825. 

Dear Sir:

       I would have written to you within the prescribed period, could I have, from myself, furnished you with the information <–> you seek – One of my German friends is an Invalide – And another, whom I applied to, is removed from London And it was not till two or three days ago that I had an opportunity of consulting with him. The following is the result of an hours chat with him over your letter.

       I hope your determination concerning Göthes works is not irrevocable as I think it would go far to ruin the work. Werter is known to every body And is to be bought in cheap editions every where And curiosity is the passion you must address yourself to – Whether the old translation be as good as it ought, matters little – I believe Renders new translation never sold. And as to the Märchen (I cannot now turn to Schlegel’s eulogy of it) tho’ a precious gem It is most unfit for an English reader – It is an Arabesque owing all its charm to the inimitable & unchangeable style It was intended to be an experimt how far a succession of fantastic images could amuse without connection middle beginning or end – Melusina is delicious Without characters & witht intelligible incident – Melusina is delicious –

       You justly place Jean Paul very high on the list of German novelists But it will be difficult I fear to make a selection of any one story, on account of the un-english character of his writings – I once printed a few pages of extracts from Jean Paul which very much pleased Lamb and induced Coleridge to resolve to publish a couple of Volumes of extracts – Consisting of profound & striking thoughts – humourous pictures, characters & scenes &c &c – Of course he did nothing But De Quincey took up his plan & began a <–> series of articles in the London Magazine – he soon gave it up – Had I sufficient knowledge & skill in composition I should think it a delightful occupation, but one of doubtful success – how many Englishmen would read “Speech of Jesus Christ – [f.32v] at the last day announcing that God was dead?” One of his finest bursts – Says Coleridge[.] I have two or three of his inferior works only – my Chrestomathia Coleridge has – I am told that his Reise des Feld predigers Schmelzer is delightful – Titan is his capital work, but it consists of several volumes – My friend a sensible & well-informed German reprobates as worthless Claurens and the Baroness La Motte Fouqué. La Fontaine. His first collection of moralische erzählungen [sic] is the best of his smaller works His Dankbarkeiten und Liebe is one of them & is recommended. The Famille v. Halder is his masterpiece but perhaps too large for your work – And is it not translated?   Perhaps some 15 years ago. Of Wieland I think as you do. His best work ^(Agathon^) is translated – The second best – (Agathodaemia [sic]) is a polemical tale against Christianity – he is verbose tho’ elegant has few facts & his attraction lies in his style – I doubt whether any thing can be gleaned from him. Musaeus is a prime favorite with me – my copy is at your service – But see that you do not fix on any of those translated some 20 or 30 years ago “Popular Tales form the German” 2 vols: Mrs Barbauld said once to me – I wish you would translate the remainder. Of Tieck you must translate something – Die Feen and Der treue Eckart &c I have only the Phantasus at your service – His last tales have just appeard in English.  Of Hoffman I know nothing I suspect him to be an imitator of Jean Paul but I am told that his Serapions Brüder and in that Fräulein v. Scuderi – And his Phantasiestüchen and in that the Goldere topf are best worth working on – Franz Horn’s Ewige Jude published in an Almanack is praised – I believe I have now remarked on every name or work adverted to in your letter – And will add what little matters I can recollect that may by chance be useful to you. There is a popular writer – not precisely a novelist but a writ composer of tales. I have Fitter for selection than larger works as your publication is very limited – Meisner. I have an odd volume of his Skitzen. His [f. 33r] Bianca Capello – published in his Erzählungen or Märchen (I know not the title precisely) is famous for his its pathos – Enquire for his writings – Fredrich Schulze is a popular romance writer  I have his Moritz in one Volume, a pleasing tale – domestick  – It relates the love of children with great simplicity One of my great favorites is Anton Wall I think a delightful writer  If you look into a circulating library you may find among the forgotten English novels ^fairy tales^ Amatonda  Tho’ I translated it myself I think it very pleasing And am at a loss to guess explain how it fell dead from the press, it being not even reviewed – Tho’ I bought a copy once for a shilling  I have not one now – If you shod meet with it And like it And think it worth while to make free with it And reprint it with such alterations as your better taste may suggest, you are welcome as far as I am concerned – And I believe the monopoly of the publishers is expired It is very original & very striking in its plan – My translation ultra-german – I have not Anton Walls Bagatellen There have been various translations lately from recent Märchen – You must look at the three volumes called Northern Tales – My friend Taylor (the translator [of] Grimm) says that Busching’s Volkssagen is the best of that collection But the Märchen ought not to be confounded with the novelist – One of the oldest Märchen teller is Veit Weber –  This collection is voluminous And his Sorcerer has been translated – He is a raw head & bloody bones sort of a fellow but his books are worth looking into – The same may be said of Klinger a very powerful writer, but gigantesque – Veit Weber & Klinger for the horrible  Kotzebue for the Sentimental & Fontaine for Spiess & Kramer for the romantic are the most notorious in a bad Sense of all German story tellers – I should have mentioned as very popular novelists also Caroline Pichler [f. 33v] and Friederick Kind but I cannot specify their works – I have incidentally mentioned the few works I possess – They are all at your service – as well as such further information as I can give – You are not to p estimate my the willingness of to be of use by my promptitude in answering your letter – It is now ten days since I began this letter – I have had to leave town to visit an Invalide Sister – As a proof of my late engagements I have not had time to call on Mr Irving since my return from the circuit tho I have books to carry him – And I will not delay putting this in the post, that I may give you the last information about him. His dedication to Coleridge is magnify magnanimous unless he wishes to cut the Saints. In haste very truly yours

                                     H. C. Robinson

3 Kings Bench Walk Temple    

19 May 1825                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

On the front page, top center HCR has added the following sideways on the page above the first line of the letter:

Tummels [sic] Wilhelmine in a small Vol: is considerd a first rate work but rather too warm.

Address:  Thomas Carlyle Esqr / Main Hill, Ecclefechan, Dumfries shire, Scotland, / Endorsed: Robinson / 19 May 1825 

Text: National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh, Letters to Thomas Carlyle, 1824-32, MS. 1765, fols  32-33.