Henry Crabb Robinson,30 Russell Square, to T. F. Gibson, Esqr., 28 October 1851.

My dear Sir:

       I feel equally obliged to you and our excellent common friend John Wood (not mutual, as male maleprops are in the habit of saying) for the trouble you have taken and the kindness with which you have renderd a Service; which however you are not to consider as valueless – It will under my combined present of greater value than it would have otherwise been –

       Had you been born thirty years before you actually were, or forty, you would probably have been what I was between 50 & 60 years ago, a disciple of Godwin – I no longer venerate his philosophy as I did, but I am sure that the influence it had on me, was more salutary [f. 29v] than that of most religious books. Among the permanent impressions made on me by his Political Justice was this thought: That if any one possessed any thing which was to him of no or of very little value and there was any other person to whom that thing would be of great value, he the possessor might at once to give it up – The doctrine is one that no Orthodox Christian can dispute and came to my mind better recommended than any Orthodox notions. It has consciously regulated my conduct in life and unconsciously produced my letter incidentally to John Wood. A Terence is but a small illustration, but it sufficiently illustrates the doctrine.

       We are to meet on Thursday I presume in Gordon Square. And I wish our common friend could meet us there. There are few men whose judgement I respect so much –

       [f. 30r] To parody a well known line of Coleridge’s: No troubles have I of my own And therefore have more room for troubles I adopt – There is University Hall: few things have of late given me so much trouble as that – I have not myself knowledge enough to guide me in determining what we ought to do – when I concurred in the arrangements made I was so far from being confident or entertaining any strong hope that we should succeed; that I would never have joined in the doubtful measure, without that provision that if we failed in effecting what we wished the Hall should be given over to the Un: Coll:  But what do you think? It is now suggested that perhaps the College would not accept the gift – This seems monstrous – But I dare not contradict him who makes the assertion – You know what a damnosa hereditasis is tho’ not in Terence probably –

       As to the College itself – That is not so desperate a concern as the Hall But [f.30v] it has given me much trouble too –

       Now, the portion of it which affords me the most satisfaction is that in which I from circumstances was led to undertake the initiative – the Flaxman Gallery. And one of the occasions of pleasure is this That so many of the original – not exactly opponents – but reluctant supporters of our proposal have had the candour to express their satisfaction at even the present degree of success – Have you seen the prospectus of the new West: Rev:? I do not see your name among the Subscribers – Nor did I expect it, nor do I wish it.

       Our small body is exposed to the process of disintegration quite as much as the largest But this is to be talked about rather than written on.

       Very truly yours

                         H. C. Robinson

T. F. Gibson Esqr

Text:  Add. MS. 50597, fols. 29-30, British Library.