Lady Anne Isabella Noel Byron, 1 Cambridge Terrace, to Henry Crabb Robinson, [30 Russell Square, London], 18 July 1856.

[f. 134r]

1 Cambridge Terrace

July 18th 1856

Dear Mr C. Robinson

      I have a mind to say something more about the “Manifestations.” I omit “Spiritual” designedly, as in that word the question is begged.

       It appears to me that no one who has accepted the Resurrection as an Historical fact can refuse assent to the accumulated evidences of these Re-appearances. I do not like the associations commonly formed with the word Resurrection, – as if that body which was laid in the grave were re-organized. St Paul states that the body is “new,” & all the expressions respecting [f. 134v] Christ’s re-appearance are reconcileable with that supposition.

       But, tho’ I should reject The Resurrection if it had no claim to belief except from testimony in a remote age, & by no means completely satisfactory, I accept it with a strong persuasion of its probability, on the ground, 1st of its being the fulfilment of the Life. 2nd, of its having been the assured expectation of Him who was all Truth as regarded Human Nature in its embodied state, & therefore most likely to know about its disembodied. 3rd Of the harmoniousness of the objects of the Risen Christ (as narrated) with those of his earthly career – “Feed my sheep,” &c.  Having rested tranquilly in that faith from a very early age, I [f. 135r] could not be troubled by Middleton or Strauss. You will observe, however, that not one of the three reasons given above, apply to the “Manifestations” – for

1. There is no Life-course so unique & so defined as to point to “a fulfilment” – (as far as I know) the point to which all the rays converged.

2. The beings who are said to have re-appeared, had not, as men, shewn Christ’s unerring knowledge of “what was in Man.”

3. The statements made concerning the Re-appearing of known personages, have not that seal of truth impressed by Self-likeness. We should not say, “He is like himself,” as we could say of when presented to us by those “whose hearts burned within them” to see their Master again.

  Now do something more of the Earth – I have always considered the £100 withheld from my first subscription to the National as only reserved, & thus seems to me the proper time for paying it. Pray ascertain how I am to do so, as I do not know whether it should be thro’ the same channel as before, or any other.

                                     Yours very truly

                                                            A I: Noel Byron

Text: MS-DEP Lovelace-Byron 109, fols. 134-35] (ALS), Bodleian Library, Oxford.