Henry Crabb Robinson, Dove Cottage, to Catherine Clarkson, Playford Hall near Ipswich, 2 September 1837.

My dear friend –

     You will not doubt that during our journey you and your great and irreparable loss and your present sad condition were often on our lips and oftener in our thoughts. I obtained the latest information of you before our departure and that was as consolatory as could be expected.

     I of course expected no answer to the few hasty lines I wrote when the dreadful catastrophe occurred – And should not have expected any had I remained in England.  It is otherwise now and I do hope that you will be well enough both in health and spirits to assure me yourself that both you and W. Clarkson and your dear daughter are capable of contemplating with patience and composure the privation you have in common endured. The great relief is that you have a common loss. How deplorably destitute you would [f. 39r] have been had your Son left no Son to perpetuate your name, no widow to be your stay and comfort – with such mitigation of your sorrow I was not surprised when I heard yesterday from Mrs Wimbridge that you had written admirably – Mrs Wimbridge! What a name! And what an occurrence! You are aware that Sar: Jane has acted very strangely towards all our family these many years, yet when I received a message thro’ Martin formerly of Yarmouth that she hoped I would call my good nature prevailed over what a prouder person would have considerd due to himself I immediately went – She received me very cordially – insisted on my staying that I might see W. W: who wanted to see me &c &c  W. W: is apparently under 30 years of age and in any other character than the husband of Sar: Jane would have appeared a sensible agreeable & respectable man – he was, as she was, quite at his ease – nor from her was there a word indicating a sense that what she had done would surprise or displease anyone, except the repeated “I did not expect to see you” – Yet she was evidently pleased. She has not seen any of the friends – W. W: is secretary to the military medical board to which he has been attached these 13 years. He expects soon advancement or a retiring pension.  W. W: has given me a note from Miss W: which I will inclose if I can procure a frank, if not, I will forward it you in a few days.

    I have only to add that on Friday I believe I shall accompany Mrs W: and Dora W: to Hereford. Mr Hutchinson is somewhat better – I [f. 39v] shall make a short visit to W. Monkhouse –

  And now with the kindest respects to W. C. and your daughter

                 Affectionately yours

                                    H. C. Robinson

2 Plowden Building Temple

2nd Septr 1837

Text: Add. MS. 63520, fols. 38-39, British Library. Robinson’s letter is attached to a letter by Wordsworth to Clarkson; that letter was published in The Letters of William and Dorothy Wordsworth (Oxford, 1993), vol. 8, pp. 235-36.