Henry Crabb Robinson, Bowness, to Elizabeth Reid, [no address], 25 July 1842. 

Bowness 25th July 1842

My dear Mrs Reid

       I mean to write two letters, which will be interchanged you and your friend – And the superscription will matter little But as you & I have been fellow travellers I will een relate to you the history of my very uneventful journey since I left you –

       Being arrived at Newcastle I went at once to the Rail Road terminus, deposited my portmanteau And then returned to lounge for a few hours in the busy town – I left Miss N’s miniature note, the ladies being engaged, in Eldon Square: I read the Morn: Chron: at the Central exchange, which till I learned it’s original destination seemed to me injudiciously bulky, And I found my way into the courts then sitting – I looked among the barristers & could not discern a face I knew or wished to know – Lord Denman sat in his robes with an anxious & jaded countenance and Baron Maule elsewhere the life & soul of every intellectual party, sat there a picture of discontent & labour & pain – I looked at my own Taglioni & without having the vanity to think myself the best man there I really thought myself the best dressed man in court –

       The drive along the rail road to Carlisle is the most beautiful I have ever travelled in such a way – And I was quite pleased with the repose of the episcopal city contrasted with the tumult & noise of the big maritime commercial town – Next day I heard the Cathedral Service – And tho’ I have a very faint musical sense I enjoyed the chanting – my lord the Bishop preached a Sermon as dry as the remainder biscuit after a voyage in which there was not any thing like a thought that could engage attention for two minutes – And how ever irrational sung prayers may seem, such singing seemed an admirable substitute for such sense – William Wordsworth the new stamps distributor was not returned to his lodgings; But I authenticated myself as a true man And was allowed to borrow books from his shelves – I took away the Vol: of the Penny Mag: which contained the account of the improvements at Newcastle And read them it with interest – At the same time I was assured by some good people that Grainger had ruined Newcastle – he had failed himself & brought loss on great numbers &c &c & I did not want to be told how much of this might be true without in the least invalidating the general conclusions of the very spirited biographer & eulogist –

       On the Monday I made an excursion by the rail – Saw the fine old ruin of Laner Cost priory & the exterior of [    ] Castle – W: W: not making his appearance, on Tuesday I took the stage to Keswick by way of Cockermouth – And had a fine view on approaching the mountains of the lake district –

       On Wednesday it rained violently, And I had only an outside place – but I knew by experience that vales are seen to advantage thro’ rain & mist And I heartily enjoyed the 16 m drive to Ambleside – I passed Rydal without stopping but as soon as I had adjusted my dress I repaired to the Mount and was cordially received by the Wordsworths

       The only incident of the day was a call upon Mrs Arnold It was consolatory to witness the dignified & wise manner in which she submits to & as it were nourishes the grief she has felt at the loss of her admirable husband of whom she is proud – I must not venture to digress here – I visited also every day of my stay here another sufferer – An excellent man, a Mr Carr once a medical practitioner who is tormented by stone – he knows he never can recover – And occasionally suffers intense pain, but at other times is quite chearful. He too is deaf And there are other points of resemblence [sic] between him & your friend –

       On Thursday three young men (one the second of Sir Robert Peel) came to the poet by appointment And we all had a glorious ascent up Loughrig mountain And the tarn. We were on our legs 4 hours – I found the young man – a clever youth who has ran off with all the honours of Harrow—just what the premiers Son should be – Cold judicious clear-headed dispassionate ... but not a trait of thought appertaining to himself – With naivete he remarked how insignificant Lord Stanley has become – he wont say anything that is not obligatory ... My father asked him the other day whether he did not mean to speak – it was an important question – no he said – It is not my department –” Perhaps you will say – This was an indiscretion – It was merely a want of sagacity –

      I should have left Ambleside on Friday, but Mrs Fletcher the Mrs Fletcher had heard of my being here and tho’ an invalide she called on Thursday at W’s door & prefixed my going to see her next day, which I did. She has been a very influential person And still is a most interesting woman – I believe her chief reason for wishing to see me was the knowledge that I had been at Tynemouth – She made particular enquiries about the health spirits &c &c of H: M: She too has had a severe attack And her life is considerd as hanging by a thread – I enjoyed <–> ^a number of^ of hours chat with her – She belongs to the few of liberal opinions who have been permitted by their speculative opinions to love & honour & enjoy Wordsworth –

       On Saturday I came here, sending my portmanteau by the coach I walked on the west side of Windermere lake And havg written the day before, found Miss Bayley sitting in expectation of me in a paradisaical garden on the lake she was going in the afternoon to see Mrs Fletcher So I had time for little more than a interchange of our respective histories – She was to sleep from home –

       Therefore yesterday – it being very fine & hot, I merely ventured on a hot walk up the Troutbeck valley – But Troutbeck is a mere name – I fell in with some pleast companions at the Crown hotel here – A capital hotel in a delicious spot – with my Shakespear in my hand I however needed no other company 

      To day I renewed my visit to Miss B: We have the lake between us – We have had a charming ramble beside the lake & up the forest mountain behind the cottage – She stays here till Saty And has communicated a friendly invitation to me from Anne Thompson & her father to accompany her But this I decline Tomorrow I proceed towards Skipton And in little more than a week I expect to be in London where I shall be glad to hear from you

             very cordially yours

                         H. C. Robinson

No Address, Postmark, or Endorsement

Text:  BC/RF/103/4/1, Archives, Royal Holloway University of London.