Henry Crabb Robinson, 30 Russell Square, London, to Lady Anne Isabella Byron, [no address], 28 January 1856.

[f. 98r]

London

30 Russell Square

28th Jan: 1856

Dear Lady Byron

       I should have been gratified by Miss –– Montgomery’s note and request could I have possibly separated from it the consideration of the state of our health which occasioned it: I regret that tho’ it is easy enough to comply with the letter – It will not be in my power to answer the end in view –

       I have been less in the way of hearing what is going on in the literary world than usual. And I fear that the objects which lie in my path have not been those that would interest you – at least not specially – for the Sententious nihil humanum &c applies to you in a more than ordinary degree. I have not heard who is the author of the very liberal article ^in the Quarterly^ on the new Oxford Movement as Jowetts & other liberal Oxford writings have been styled with alarm by some Non: Cons who fear being out done in liberality – I was brought up to think “Oxford Doctor” was a sort of graduated bigotry personified – And now here’s Jowett in the train of Arnold Hambden and Whateley &c &c  It is only the Orthodox Dissenters who grieve at this – generally tho’ hearty applause, it is difficult to give to those who gain a victory under our colours when the victors are ashamed of the resemblance or affinity – And the Univ: Coll: Lond: who made sacrifices in favor of Froude Junr received only an insult in return[.]

       Nor can I give you any information concerning [f. 98v] the view likely to be taken of Adderley – the MPs pamphlet – by our friends here – Yesterday I was in company with Dr Carpenter – Principal of Univ: Hall and he was unwilling to think that A: could have written any thing unfriendly to the spirit of those Reformatory institutions.  The title of his pamphlet Punishment not Education is a mere truism And like most truisms when ostentatiously exhibited as truths are insidious and dishonest in the implied imputation of folly on those philanthropists who are supposed capable of falling into it – You are now for occasioning me for the first time to turn my attention to the subject The Ticket of Leave System seems to be a sort of desperate expedient, but I should suppose altogether ^distinct from if not^ opposed to the Reformatory – Since by a very mischievous fiction of a real reformation – or a guess and experiment to see whether the offender be reformed or not, a power of harm is given too great and too dangerous to be hastily conferred – But really this is too bad in me to utter such obvious common places to One who has long been actively & happily engaged in the consideration of the subject –

       In the way of news I have but little to mention. The last No of the National has been more popular & more approved by the few than the preceding – And yet I fear from hints scarcely audible that unless it can find patrons beyond its present confined [f. 99r] field of patrons ^supporters,^ it will not be able to hold its place I know none that deserve success better –

       The papers on France, Gibbon Atheism & the war will all I think bear a comparison with their rivals elsewhere I had yesterday the pleasure of opening a new book which I can venture to recommend to you It is F Maurice’s Edition of the three early Charges of Archdeacon Hare – The Editor has not given his name and indeed ^the Introduction^ is so free from the fault of obscurity which besets most of the Ex professors writings, that had I not known the fact or been aware of the fond affection between the brothers in law, I should scarcely have thought him to be the author of it – I like it almost better than any thing I have ever read by M:  he has with great skill contrived to frame out of a list of malignant imputations upon Hare a methodical explanation of his works – It was to me always a subject of astonishment, how a Xn so earnest & warm as the Archdeacon could be so ardent an admirer of Göthe who did not hesitate to say of himself to Lavater – “Ich bin keines Weges Anti-Christ – nicht einmahlmal Un-Christ-wohl aber nicht-Christ” – Our language, at least as to the word Christian does not afford a like subdivision He was also warmly attached to that strange being that genial, extravagant, warm-hearted, wrong-headed perverse & generous man Walter Savage Landor.

       [f. 99v] Other of his favorites were Bunsen and Niebuhr & Arnold Niebuhrs Scepticism as to Roman History could not fail to lead to a similar Scepticism as to the national Hist: of the Jews – It was said of Hare that he acknowledged nine Popes Certainly he had a wide field of love – And his church was broader that that of any I ever heard of – he had the rare quality of being able to love those alike, who could not love each other – He loved Wordsworth but said without hesitation to me that W never utterd a word about Gothe or indeed German literature which was not mere rubbish—And it is true – This was the shunned topic when I was at Rydal – I can share all the lives of these wide thinkers but One – Ever since Carlyle wrote those scandalous papers the “Latter-day Pamphlets” and his defence of the slavery of the Negroes in Fraser – including his brutal ridicule of the wretched slave making fun of his torments by which he has aggravated, their sufferings infinitely they flog him – flog him has been an authority to and pestification to the slave-driver – I have never ^not^ been able to tolerate those effusions of vanity – for they are no worse.  It is well I am at an end of my paper – As this is a perilous topic I fear – at least it would be if Miss Montgomery & Miss Murray were One which is by no means the Case

       I write so small a hand – That my close is rather too large than too small – I should heartily rejoice to hear that you were improved – being

                         with sincerest esteem

                                                H. C. Robinson

The Lady Noel Byron

      &c &c

P.S. To fill up an ugly blank I will just add that I had resolved not to allude to Miss Murrays[1] most disappointing Vols: -- I am however quite convinced of her sincerity She shows a sort of chivalrous spirit in defendg the chivalry of the Southern slave holders who retain them not for profit but merely for their sake – And to save the Souls of their descendants a century hence – She would revive the slave trade – if she could This must be sincere – But I shod have expected it rather from a Shepherdess of the Alps than a Maid of honour to the Queen – 

[1] Amelia M. Murray, Letters from the United States, Cuba, and Canada (London: John W. Parker and Son, 1856). 

Text:  MS-DEP Lovelace-Byron 109, fols. 98-99, Bodleian Library, Oxford.