Henry Crabb Robinson, 30 Russell Square, London, to Mary Wordsworth, Rydal Mount, 19 May [18]49.

30 Russell Square

London

19th May 49.

My dear friend

     [T]his morning received a letter from Bury containing an expression I did not hope ever to read under the hand of my niece – “With joy & thankfulness[”]

     After being nearly seven weeks in bed And reduced nearly to the condition of a skeleton, the dear child is now manifestly so improved in his health that without presumption we think we may hope.

     He can now not only stand, but walk a few steps without great fatigue

     His complexion is recovering its proper colour –

     His pulse is becoming more slow – All these are decided symptoms of amendment

    And the mother, Aunt, grandfather &c &c are all in a state of present joy. But even if he recover this summer so as to be able to travel, a series of trials & troubles await the family. All the medical men agree in opinion that he, the child, must not spend another winter at Bury – The house establishment must so far be broken up that the females, mother Aunt &c must quit – And what is my brother to do? I know no one more fixed in his habits than he; no one more incapable of adopting himself to a change of circumstances than he – And now he will be less able than ever to live alone – He wants some one to live with him And there is no one – Of course I mean a female companion I might be frequently with him certainly And will do all I can – but I should be of little use – He needs someone to watch over him, regulate his diet & watch over him ^in some measure control him^. He has a faithful man Servant – All the affection of your James, but no portion of James’s intelligence But why trouble you with all this? Because I am full of it – I ought not to trouble you with this detail – I do it merely that you may know what it is that fills my mind now.

     Yesterday I dined with the Baron & Lady Rolfe – Present Miss Fenwick, Mrs Coleridge And his intelligent daughter – It was a pleasant afternoon tho’ Miss Fenwick was by no means in high health – She was to go today to Mr Taylors – talks of staying a couple of weeks there And authorises me to go over And see her – This I deem a privilege.

     I have seen Mrs Coleridge several times before She is in good health.

    I have called several times on the Twinings without falling in with Mrs Alfred – But I hear a good account of her.

    Quillinans Sonnet is approved of for the justice done to our excellent person I own I should have liked to see a Companion to it – Of the excellence of Miss [Sillons?] motives there can be no doubt – She is a good woman there can be no doubt – But it is unpleasant to see such goodness insidiously turned to a purpose by others by no means so good as herself – There is undoubtedly a deal of extravagance & cant in the Calvinistic party in the church but still honest Churchmen, placed at an equal distance from attending to Rome And a tendency to Geneva might fairly be scandalised by an ostentatious affectation of Romanist usages & denominations – As if to insult the genuine protestants – There was a very able article in the Examiner ^when the row took place^ in which the Bishop was somewhat roughly handled, but at the same time Miss [Sillon?] was spoken of in high terms of admiration This is as it should be

     I hear indirectly that Mr Wordsworth & you are progressing – Mrs Austen was delighted with the Autograph letter acknowledging the Nineveh, from the poet.

     Miss Rogers is considerably better than she was with kind regards to all as usual,

                         Affectionately yours

                                        H. C. Robinson

Mrs Wordsworth

Rydal Mount

Text: WLL, Robinson, Henry Crabb/16, Wordsworth Trust and Museum, Grasmere. In his diary for this day, Robinson writes: ‘I wrote in bed my weekly letter to my brother in part. Soon after breakfast I called on Masqu:  and at Miss Allens where was Miss Sophia Weston – I then went to the Athen:  from thence I sent a note to Bromley, and a letter to Mrs Wordsworth with the good news from Bury –’