Lady Anne Isabella Noel Byron, Brighton, to Henry Crabb Robinson, 30 Russell Square, London, 31 January 1855.

[f. 122r]

Brighton

Jan: 31st 1855

Dear Mr C. Robinson

       You will not regret the trouble which you have kindly bestowed on a comparatively insignificant matter, when I tell you that I believe your opinion will have the effect of placing the parties concerned on more comfortable terms with each other.

       The great difficulty in respect to the Review seems to be, to settle a basis inclusive & exclusive – in short a boundary question. From what you said I think you agree with me that a Latitudinarian Christianity ought to be the character of the Periodical; but the depths of the Roots should correspond with the width of the Branches [f. 122v] of that Tree of Knowledge. Of some of those minds one might say “They have no root” & then the richer the foliage, the more danger that the trunk will fall – “Grounded in Christ” has to me a most practical significance & value.

       I too have anxiety about a friend – Miss Carpenter, -- whose life is of public importance – She, more than any of the English Reformers, unless Nash & Wright, has found the art of drawing out the good of human nature, & proving its existence – she makes these discoveries by the light of love – I hope she may recover, from to-day’s report.

       The object of a Reformatory in Leicester has just been secured at a County Meeting, & all the low [f. 123r] people have joined in it. By “low” I mean Dukes & Duchesses, & others of the nobility hitherto below par as to their intelligence on these matters, but for obvious reasons desirable Associates. Now the desideratum is – well-qualified Masters & Mistresses. If you hear of such by chance, pray let me now. The regular Schoolmaster is an Extinguisher. Heart & familiarity with the class to be educated are all important. At home & abroad the evidence is conclusive on that point – for I have for many years attended to such experiments in various parts of Europe. The Irish Quarterly has taken up the subject with rather more zeal than judgment. I had hoped that a sound & temperate exposition of the facts might [f. 123v] form an Article in the Might-have-been Review. I could get it ably executed.

       The recollection that your Newspaper was “unread” caused me to desist from entering upon another subject. I quite agree with you that each must be more unselfishly active in the Private circle, when there is so much misery, in the Public – every atom affects the whole -- & through what devious channels it may sometimes be traced! Thank you for those words “Interests instead of Duties.” They are a better Sermon than the Pulpit often produces.

            Ever yours truly

                         A. I. Noel Byron

Text:  MS-DEP Lovelace-Byron 109, fols. 122-23, Bodleian Library, Oxford.