Henry Crabb Robinson, 30 Russell Square, London, to Mary Wordsworth, [Rydal Mount], 13 July [18]48.

30 Russell Square

13 July 48.

My dear friend

     I went last night to a ball given by her Majesty’s Antient Serjeant previous to his setting out on the Oxford Circuit – I went at 11 & came away at ½ p. 2. There I learned that the two new Vols: of Lambs letters will be out in a week. You will have a copy of course the instant it appears – And T: [Talfourd] is full of trust that his work will be approved of at Rydal Mount. My own impression is that the new disclosures will enhance the merits of the dear good man – in the estimation of all whose good opinion is worth having – A deeper shade of pity will be cast over & blinded with the admiration which will be neither dimmed nor tarnished by it.

     It was the first party I had been at for a long time. On the 27th of the last month as I came home late I stumbled against a door step And had a fall in which I received a sprain under the right ham And in consequence I have been nearly confined to my room for a fortnight And I shall not be able to continue my habit of taking long walks. I require nothing but rest I am told by my Surgeon, And I have not been at the Athenaeum now for a fortnight.

     But now comes the best part of the story

     I reckon the last two weeks among the happiest of my life – I have not had one sleepless night one dinner without appetite, or one moment of ennuie – I have fallen into ^adopted^ the change of habits with the greatest readiness – I must explain this a few years ago I began to look over & destroy papers & supply their place by reminiscences but I could only do this at Bury – With my idle gossipping habits, here at London I could do nothing – And now, being thus confined within doors, otherwise in excellent health, I have taken to my papers with diligence And I have lost all wish to go out. But pray do not be alarmed And imagine that I am contemplating the perpetration of any act of authorship – Nothing of the sort – I find my materials scantier And my faculty of turning them to account feebler than I had supposed – But there will be a something left after me And that gives me pleasure I shall I expect complete my reminiscences of Germany before I go to my brothers, or to the Archaeol: Institute at Lincolne and there is this good in the employment, that it is employment Kenyon is coming out with a Vol: on Italy which I should expect will contain good didactic lines – I see little of him he is now at Bath but where I understand he has not seen the Savage – He is rather capricious & mutable in his social habits, but he has a very wide field for his friendly acts of kindness & hospitality.

     Our friend Strickland Cookson retains his excellent health apparently – At least he looks well – I hear of you more thro’ him than any one else.

     We have had the Yankee Emerson lately here And I heard most of his lectures What a delightful countenance he has! How much better his smile is than his reasonings are – he has no reasonings. His thoughts do not rise one out of the other They are mystical & wild; but then he looks with such arch naivete that his eyes give this commentary on his words. “I know this to be nonsense or half sense as well as you. I am laughing at myself.”  I send you my last note from dear Mrs Clarkson It will tell you more than I can say – It is singular: I write to her that you had asked whether she made any 2 marks on her own letters to Miss H: being sent back – And still she makes none you see – This may be mere forgetfulness – For you know she is three years older than I am And I do forget perpetually the daily incidents of life – It is not easy for me to recollect to day where I dined yesterday – So I suppose it is in part with all of us – There are certain privileged natures which are not only in intensity stronger than the rest of the world but also in ^larger^ extension. Such natures are subdued only by the noblest affections, love & grief at a temporary suspension of its exercise – my kindest remembces to all your neighbourhood – You may say to Mrs Arnold that Mrs Twining begins to smile again – She was looking sweetly at several of Emersons lectures.

     It is too bad in me to tire your eyes with double service I meant to conclude with the sheet.  But I could not – for I have not even thanked you for your kind account of all our common friends – And I have also this to add – Poor Miss Weston the Senr is improved in her general health but she will never recover the use of her legs it is thought – She is coming up to London from Brighton She has been already gratified by knowing of your enquiry about her – I am concerned to hear so sad an account of your daughter in law Mrs W. W.  But really with a previous knowledge of the fate of her nearest relations no one can be surprised – And we can only hope for the poor husband [sic] fortitude – But this of course is for you alone.

     There is no doubt H: M: is a person of marvellous energy – Were the judgement but equal to the power of action And the honest wish to exercise that power for the good of others!!! She would be altogether admirable – But it does not lye in the course of observation that all excellencies are continued in any one individual The severest criticism I have yet seen of the book is in the last No of the Unitn Magazine – The Christian Reformer – Because she is a Unitarian, they the U[’]s are more annoyed than you Orthodox can possible [sic] be – My plans for the summer are unfixed – I shall go to my brother of course And also to Lincolne with the Archeol: Institute – Beyond this nothing resolved – Open to any rational proposal – I hope Mrs Davy is recovering now To her Mrs Fl: The As [Arnolds] &c I have written already to Mr Qu:  To your dear husband &c &c as ever  

                    Affectionately yours

                                     H. C. Robinson

Mrs Wordsworth

Text: WLL, Robinson, Henry Crabb/10, Wordsworth Trust and Museum, Grasmere.  Robinson writes in his diary on 13 July 1848: ‘Ph[illips]: went with Wilkinson, and was present during the Massacre lately. He saw many horrid sights. I wrote to Mrs Wordsworth. I went to the Surry Institution to read the Times and I had an agreeable two hours chat with Hunter late.’