Henry Crabb Robinson, 30 Russell Square, London, to the Rev. John Miller, Bockleton, 1 December 18[5]0.

30 Russell Square

1st Dec: 18[5]0

My dear Sir,

     You are unwilling to give me up these unfortunate volumes, unless I insist upon it – now insist is a word which it does not become me to use towards you, but I request it with more earnestness than <–> before And I couple with it another which will obviate the only plausible objection to your parting with the Vols: It is that you will accept in their place a very small Vol: which bears my name – The only book which I think fit to afford a “pleasant remembrance” of me – to any one. I cannot promise that it will be to you particularly pleasant, but it must be a better “forget me not” than Vols which shew me in your eyes as one of so lunatic a lover as to see “Helen’s beauty in a brow of Egypt” – You cannot dislike it so much as you do those Sermons – You may have some recollection of having heard of an attack on Clarkson the Slave-trade Abolitionist by the Sons of Wilberforce in the Life of their father Mr C: was then in a declining state, And at the solicitation of his wife my oldest friend, I interposed in various ways; And he came out of the contest triumphantly. I exposed the injurious Review of the Life in the Edinb: Rev. by James Stephen now the Right Honble Sir James – And was in consequence alienated from him, till then my friend 12 <–> years. But when he collected his articles, he withdrew all the offensive matter – We are on cordial terms again – I edited C’s own defence And added my Review ^in the Eclectic^ But it is not this which I offer, for I have it not; But my interference drew on me a coarse attack from the Sons that is, Robert who has gone to the full length of his tether And is a zealous Papist – And Samuel Bp of Oxford – This attack I repelled in “Exposure of Misrepresentations” And it is this little book which I hope you will not scruple to put on your book shelf – I do not expect it will have your commendation as it had Wordsworths – nor to hear from you what I did from the late Bp of Chichester Dr — who volunteered his assurance at a friends table – [“]That I had done good Service by my detection” – Too much of this already – I fear my apology is – That I would excite your curiosity And induce you to accept of my offer without fear of meeting with any thing that I ought not to send to you – I was not deceived by the Compliments I received, for I knew that they <–> were occasioned quite as much by dislike of the Ws as by any good will to myself – To be frank with you – This short note is a substitute for a longer letter I wrote on Saturday which contained Anecdotes fitter for blank page in the pamphlet than in a letter – More especially, as I do not know in what personal relation you may stand to Dr Wilberforce

    It do The little book does not attack the bishop I send it simply as affording the means of in some measure guessing my personal qualities – At least those I would rather wish not to be forgotten.

     I beg my best respects to the members of your family – And am with the assurance of my sincere esteem

                                     &c &c &c

                                                H. C. Robinson

The Revd John Miller

Bockleton

Text: WLL/2000.24.2.1, Wordsworth Trust and Museum, Grasmere.