Henry Crabb Robinson, Bury St Edmunds, to Elizabeth Reid and Miss Sturch, [no address], 6 November 1856.

Bury St Edmunds

Nov: 6th 1856

My dear Friend

       I cannot answer in the usual formal style your kind and feeling letter occasioned by the reception of Bell’s Chart but much too earnest for the occasion –

       I should have acknowledged it sooner, but I have been visiting a friend a few miles from hence And had not a mind sufficiently abstracted for the purpose

       You have written under a Sense of disappointment at the faint success your generous undertaking has enjoyed – This is a natural sentiment, but it should be of resisted, if it threaten to interfere with the vigorous continuance of the requisite exertions – I am ashamed, to fall back on so wretched a common place, And that from so discredited a writer -- but I know nothing else just now – So I remind you

“Tis not in Mortals to commend success

But we’ll do more ––– We’ll deserve it”

       Unluckily – Success is what the world generally respects And little besides Macchiavelli might have generalised his famous or infamous doctrine “the only crime a Prince, can commit,” he says, is il non resissire Saudo manentem  I praise the permanent says Dame fortune ^thro’ the mouth of Lucretius^ which Schiller thus parodies – Der Lebende hat Richt – “He who lives is in the right” So that you may be comforted if you feel that your institution has not flourished as it was expected to do –

       You have a better source of satisfaction still, And which we have of the other Sex can share with you Our University College set on a wider ^broader^ foundation still stands but on a single story – We set an example of a reformed scheme of education And in fear of our success, those originally opposed to us followed our example in more than one place And these ^colleges^ have succeeded – Individually [sic] have rejoiced at this – And should the reformed Oxford & Cambr: Universities who have stolen our thunder hurl it against us I shall not grieve at their prosperity – Without our University which humbly consented to become a mere College in name, the Reforms in those old establishments would never have been adopted – And this is glory ^honour^ enough to justify self-applause – May not you, dear friend and your Sister say the same, or what resembles this boast? I am too little acquainted with the Chronology and Topography of the Lady Colleges of the Metropolis to know precisely how the application is to be made, but I have no doubt of the fact –

       I assent to your explanation of the want of immediate success in all respects but One you ascribe too much to the imagined disregard of female education ^by men^ – And the just comparison you draw between Univ: Coll: and Univ: Hall And the Ladies Coll itself is inconsistent with that element of disappointment – More truly do you say, that you did not calculate on so fierce an opposition from the clergy – It is no ground of reproach, that you thought better of your adversaries And of the generation than they deserved So was it with the founders of Univ: Coll: They thought that merchants & lawyers of the Capital would gladly let the clerks & apprentices do what the former g preceding race in Edinb: & Glasgow did – combine morning work in the Counting house or warehouse or office with Evening work in the lecture room of the Professor

       They were mistaken – The shame is not our’s nor is the bigotry & intolerance of the Orthodox a legitimate reproach to their victims – That the imputed reproach of a want of religion has been as injurious to you as to us is true And you were less able to resist it than we were, because your means were smaller – I mean the pecuniary means In reality the imputation had much more plausibility in its application to us – who I think have repeatedly been actually to blame in a proud refusal to conceal concede innocent forms to harmless prejudices – I do not think you have been at all to blame – We have been large ^big & heavy^ enough to stand alone – like a big book – While you like a pamphlet on a shelf – The prejudice is unjust But this prejudice consists not in the feeling “Woman may prejudice ^perish^ And no man careth”  but in the mistake that such knowledge as might be given by the ungodly teacher which might <–> ^do some harm to^ young men but would ruin young women – The ladies and women of all ranks and degrees have been claimed by the clergy as the subjects on which they are to exercise their skill – This is useless talk on my part would I could afford you comfort by bringing you aid – but I know not how to do it.

       You do not despair And while there is life there is hope – As in cases of atrophy – mental especially – not to pursue a subject so disheartening – Seeking for others less annoying I am driven against my will to another far worse in every respect –

                                                 American Slavery!!!

It by no means flatters my vanity – That my discredited prophecy of civil [war], has been all but confirmed – And the Pro-slavery party having triumphed in Pennsylvania will, it is almost certain, succeed in the ultimate election of Buchanan And Miss Murrays heroes & chivalrous friends will prove their chivalry by effecting their tyranny securing their atrocious conquest!!!

       This is as it ought to be in the material & physical use of the term – not in its moral sense He who is determined will always beat him who is undetermined How often have the few gained a great victory over the many – this has been commonly ascribed to the overpowering influence of the love of liberty – or of religion Any love will do – if it be a strong & passionate attachment to any thing it will <–> suffice

       Avarice is & the love of dominion as as its instrument are omnipotent ^in their power^ and the pretenders of the north have only an affected or faint love of what is right & just – Pride is also a strong passion when roused And I did hope that the violence of the democrats would do more for their republican opponent (those are historic terms of <–> party import) then any conscientious Sentiment could do on their own part. But I fear that a pretended moderation on the part of the partizans of Buchanan would be called to aid – I also hoped that the professed indifference of the Abolitionists would do more good than harm. Otherwise as Mrs Stow[e] says, it might be mischievous – But she said They are too few (Garrisonians) to do harm – This on other Grounds I regret As I should of course regret their small number I mean – Since I have been here I have read a novel “The old Dominion” – one of the least agreeable I ever read – So do not think of reading it, which has raised Mrs B: Stowe in my opinion –

       The scene of this novel also is the dismal Swamp It has a fanatical Dred who leads an insurrection of negroes but so poor a creature in comparison that he does not deserve to be named – All the characters nearly are feeble fore-runners of the Dred story but with a manifest predilection for slavery And I should think, a hired [playdozer?], but that a wealthy body might have & would have purchased a better endowed advocate – This insurrection is a mere incident of the minor characters – the head ^main^ plot a family quarrel ^tale^ an act of judicial fraud – family quarrels & not worth talking about  What countrymen is James? the author?

       I had a letter from Mrs Wordsworth by her niece, who sees ^writes^ for her, two days since She deserves a fourth stanza – but who can produce it to match the first three

                            “She was a phantom of delight &c &c

       Miss Hutchinson writes – There is a report current here that Miss M— has so far modified her opinions that she acknowl[edged] a  God and a future state – What then?

       It may ^be^ of great importance – to the Individual how he thinks and what he believes

       But that men should be anxious to know what & how their neighbours believe

       And that they should be so anxious to have it as ascertained that A is a believer in R – and care very little to know what R: where born  bred &c &c  These are riddles not easy to solve  These are problems of interest – I go on reading the “Golden Age” I have to day read new passages of transcendent beauty  All that is ascribed to Keats is exquisite Every one acknowledges the beauty of these productions until he is repressed by the fear that he may be injured by the knowledge ^imputation^ of his credulity.  I have also been amusing my niece by picking out the Characters in Laws Serious Call – If this is unintelligible to you let me know when we may meet      

       You must have the Serious Call in your House – It is a highly prized book – The characters are its gems – and admirable

       This has been my reading – When I shall return I do not know – I am employed here usefully – if any thing is useful or any thing deserves to be prized in a world in which men are going backward not forward – And the old barbarism is returning which Christ was thought to have crushed – And in which our brightest Geniuses are disclaiming all those cases of science & truth which have yet reigned over intellect And a new heaven & a new earth are talked of by those who view all these An Transatlantic abominations with indifference – while they proclaim with pride these new discoveries of science which the spiritual world which if genuine supersede all the discoveries & requirements of the ole old mixed world of matter & spirit

       So no more I have given ^you^ a surfeit I fear I long for humbler news where can I get it? Is Mrs Bayne returned? Have you heard from Kenyon? How is Miss Martineau &c &c &c

       My kindest regards to Miss Sturch to whom in fact this letter is in thought addressed

                            Ever your’s

                                    &c &c &c

                                                 H. C. Robinson

To Mrs Reid & Miss Sturch

Text: BC/RF/103/4/19, Archives, Royal Holloway University of London.