Henry Crabb Robinson, 30 Russell Square, London, to Dawson Turner, [Yarmouth], 18 December 1850. 

30 Russell Square

London

18 December 50

My dear Friend

       Your letter has deeply interested me I do not regret having called forth so much feeling; because I know that it is in nature, that bodily pain is relieved by cries, And grief by tears and words – Your letter tho’ about yourself was not egotistical in the reproachful Sense of the word – And I was grateful for all the personal references to myself – And I can assure you that I shall have great pleasure in extending my journey into Norfolk when next in Suffolk, which will be in a few months –

      I accept your civil & obliging language about my having set on foot the Flaxman Gallery Subscription – There can be no doubt; without me these great works now collected would have been dispersed They would equally have been dispersed if there had not been the Vacant Space in the Univ: College to receive them Also but for Denmans bankruptcy by which these works were in danger of being seized by his Creditors, there would not have been the impulse to take the only course that could end so happily – And Edwin Fields legal address & activity was also necessary – There is much to do still – And a portion of what remains to be done falls within the line of your experience & exercised talents

       When the Gallery is complete, there must be a Catalogue Raisonneé And there ought to be prefixed an Essay on the Genius & Works of Flaxman I need say no more –

       You in a former letter suggested the necessity of making a provision for the future preservation of these works – It will be also necessary to raise a fund if possible to defray the expense of retaining a Servant for the expen purpose of attending visitors at fixed times – That is, we may want an Extra Bedel – But to have announced this at the first would have checked not advanced us. Unless we can gain a large encrease of Subscriptions it will be impossible to work up the whole of the materials which ought to be repaired cleaned & set in order. I am willing to go confidently beyond the actual subscriptions, but I must set a limit to this secret engagement to myself

       Hoping that you will soon have health & spirits to come & see this gallery – I am with sincere respect

             Very truly your’s

                        H.C. Robinson

Dawson Turner Esqr

P: S: I ought not to let this note go off without a word about our poor dear friend Amyot – I never heard of any printed work of his except his Memoir of Wyndham The few Articles in the Archaeologian And one piece of Editorship in the Shakespeare Society Collection – I was not aware of any writing of his on the Norfolk Elections – Mr Bruce applied to me And I have written a short & I fear very inadequate paper which will appear in the January Gentleman’s Magazine – Bruce said he should add a few facts to what I had written – I think you would do well, were you to send a letter to the Editors of the Gent: Mag: It would be a valuable Appendix to what others had written – And possibly the best part of the Memoir – There is still time I should think.

No address page or endorsement.

Text: Turner Papers, O.14.49/141 (1850), Trinity College, Cambridge University.