Henry Crabb Robinson, 30 Russell Square, London, to the Rev. John Miller, Bockleton, near Tenbury, Worcestershire, 10 [and 17] October 1853.

London

30 Russell Square

(virtually)

really, at my Club:

Ecce Signum –

My dear Sir!

     Luckily – I have recollected in time your Antipathy to the innovations of the age in its Stationery as well as in matters so disparate that I dare not pursue my remark beyond an allusion – Herein I show my tolerance – On my own impulse I write only on the 8vo: And thought myself very lucky when this handsome sheet presented itself unexpectedly to my eye – It was just as I had laid down with great satisfaction a letter from J. K. M. received this morning as I was leaving ^Russ: Square^ but not opened before – A letter not bulky, but its contents all pleasant and in good humour – It was an immediate answer to a letter written but  a few days since – And I certainly did not expect a reply before I had discharged my debt to you – nearly of as old a date –

     I have been unsettled during the last three months – Two were spent at Bury where my eldest brother – by five years my Senior is living free from pain and in the possession of that repose and negative comfort which the absence of evil rather that the possession of good consciously allows us to consider as a fact not an enjoyment –

     This serious subject is so much on my mind, And it is ever presenting itself before me, so variously, that I have I fear, unwarrantably sufferd it to occupy a part of this page –

     Yet tho’ my brother is an utter stranger to you, his station in society, tho’ I want a name for it – is one not unfamiliar to you probably, As that of One who alluding of course to human relations only, is in the decline of life without a conscious enemy or adversary.

17th October –

     Precisely seven days have elapsed since the last page ^was penned^ And every day since I have wished to finish the letter – Three of those days have been spent entirely out of the house – And three others were lost for this purpose, because I could not find – your last very pleasant letter which is of so remote a date that I dare not further refer to it. This morning I resolved that I would not quit the room till I had opened every drawer & turned over ^every^ sheet of paper – And I found it instantly – There being no want of earnestness in the search ^before^ – but a stupidity which is becoming daily, more & more remarkable – In this particular – my fatuity is becoming grievous – I am glad I did not venture to write without your letter – For I had forgotten nearly all the topics upon which you probably expect to read me now – I shall not be particular as to the order in which I take up the topics – Of course; I did not commit the rash act of sending the Bridge of Sighs to Walkeringham – I did send Mrs Leicesters School – And the letter accompanying it ^was^ answerd but not ^without^ the slightest reference to the book – An instructive hint – I had before received the like from a very amiable woman, a calvinistic dissenter who admiring the author nevertheless would not let her boys read it, till she had torn out the young Mahometan and the Witch aunt—When I told L: of this He said – “I’m delighted to hear it[”] – I wrote them both – At St John’s Coll: Camb: these boys who in spite of their mother would go to College – were introduced to an elder student so violent an Evangelical that he declared solemnly he thought the bishop of Exeter not a Christian And this not because he excommunictaed his Superior in the Church, but for his pro-papistical opinions – And when he quitted the bar & became a low-church clergyman, broke off acquaintance with me, (professing personal regard,) but on principle for he & his wife had agreed on their marriage to associate none with no person who did not share their opinions – ^This did not offend me – in the least^ And ^he being^ an intense lover of Wordsworth as a poet, nevertheless thought his Excursion Anti-Christian – Poor R: C: is dead – An over tender nature And with a diseased mind; The elder P: was drowned on his marriage tour in a lake of the Pyrenees. And his younger brother is now a zealous low-churchman -- ^My friend the born dissenter gave land & more than a £1000 towards buildg a new Church^ Such is the strange history of mens opinions – I have been drawn in to say touch on topics I did not think of when I took up my pen this morning – I have in the course of my life (judging humanly – or rather not presuming to judge at all but expressing honestly my convictions and my affections) found so much apparent amiability of temper with so much elevation of character & strength of understanding in persons of every variety of professed doctrine that I have brought myself to think I could find the real Christian in every form and denomination of Christianity – Excluding none tho’ I do not consider outwards means & communities as indifferent, but believe that there is a power & a spirit in all And around all And that is beyond all names & words – I not only believe in the possibility of finding the Christian every where But I could find ^him^ even among And those who would I do not require even that reciprocity which is thought essential to all Church fellowship – And can tolerate intolerance in individual men – tho’ not in governments – but I must break off lest I should unwillingly offend you as well as your brother & niece –

     To change altogether the topic – After your vehement declamation against wearisome long letters – nothing shall seduce me to add a sentence slip of paper to this letter tho’ I break off in the middle of a Sentence – Hoping you will excuse anything I may have siad that you cannot sympathise with –

     As to Valentine Le Grice. I know a great deal more about him – than I could bring within the compass of a letter – He is a remarkable man – And so was his father before him – A native of my native town – His father was at variance with Bagot bishop of Norwich – but beat him in a court of law – the bp was compelled against his will to induct him to a living – pretty much in the way in which the bp of Exeter was beaten by Goram – And which same bp of Exeter issued a circular in his Diocese commanding prohibiting any of his clergy admitting Valentine the Son into his pulpit – I happened to possess some curious documents connected with the Mandamus issued agt the bp of Norw: which I sent the Son – I have not seen him since – When you were at Lands End you must have seen the residence of one of my most intimate friends – Whose house a stone mansion of Antiquity makes its owner the first or last Gentleman in England in a journey to or from John o Groats – and the Extremity of Cornwall – Val: Le Grice is a strange man one of those very clever unmanageable beings characterised in a couplet

                  And some there are blessed with huge stores of wit

            Who want as much again to manage it –

I have heard Lamb tell odd stories about Le Grice – Of whom the best to be said is that he overflowed with kindness to his fellow creatures – And was warm hearted – He and Lamb loved each other – But Lamb confessed that he saw him always with apprehension – And well he might –

     They used to go to debating Societies together – The same which I visited a few years afterwards And there made some of my most valuable friendships – They attended when the Question Who was Who is the great Orator? – &c &c &c Legrice ^rose^ -- “I was once in Company Mr Chairman When a lady was asked – Which she liked best – Veal mutton or beef – She answerd – Pork. So sir your question asks – Who is the greatest Orator – Burke – Pitt or Fox? I answer Sheridan[”] – Another time he, on rising he said – [“]Mr Chairman – The last time I enterd this room, I had the honour to be kicked out of it” – I was present said Lamb – And certainly he deserved it – His father was poor And his Son himself sent to the Blue Coat Hospital – He had talents – obtained a Tutorship And married the rich widow – His pupil died – He had a Son by his Wife who gave him a large estate which he gave up in his life time to his Son –

     What made you think of him? He invited me to Treriefe when I ^might^ visit Landsend – But he was not at home when I called Landsend ^has a church which^ is an instance of the great corruption which attends inevitably court patronage The Deanery is in the gift of the Prince of Wales And the D of Wellington obtained for a wounded officer who was forced to leave the Army & had a large income, giving a pittance to miserable curates & pocketting the revenue doing nothing – My friend being the Lord of the Manor laid a scheme of Reform for that district before the bishop of Exeter And says the bp should ^showed^ himself very desirous to rectify the flagrant abuse – And that when a vacancy occurs a private act it is hoped will correct one of these numerous abuses by which the Church is more injured than by any of the enemies out of the Church – In this I am sure you & I agree –

     Respects to Miss & Mr J. Miller With sincere esteem

                                             H. C. Robinson

Mrs Wordsw: is in good health apparently and is making a visit to a dear friend Miss Fenwick – Two pious women who consider this as a solemn leave taking – She will in my oldest friend Mrs Clarkson see one of her most esteemed friends She will not go to see the Statue in the Artists studio –

P. S: I find as I thought would be the case. That I have omitted matter more interesting than any thing written – But I will keep my word notwithstanding Mrs Wordsworth is here at Henry Taylors She does not know you personally, but as the friend of her nephew desires to be kindly rememberd  

     We shall be going soon, that is in November, to see Mrs Clarkson the Widow of the Slave-trade Abolisher –

Text: WLL/2000.24.2.7, Wordsworth Trust and Museum, Grasmere.  On 10 October 1853, Robinson writes in his diary: ‘I had a playful letter from J. K. Miller very friendly which I read at the Athen: with pleasure As it was an evidence of his being friendly – I began a letter to John M. on Quarto paper at the Athen:’ On the 17th he returns to Miller: ‘I wrote to Leigh – abot my Exposure which I sent on Saturday by the Post under the new act of 6d – Also to John Miller in Answer to his 3 months ago – I made it amusing by anecdotes, being otherwise too liberal I told him of Cargil &c brot to my mind by a letter from Paynter this morng which I answerd at once And shall have to refer to again to day I expect –’