Henry Crabb Robinson, 30 Russell Square, W.C., London, to Mary Wordsworth, Rydal Mount, 9 December 1858.

30 Russell Square W. C.

9th Dec 1858/–

My dear friend,

     You have undergone another severe trial of late – And have borne it, I hear with your accustomed equanimity – A conscientious effort as all your exertions have been And successful as they merit.  I heard too of a threatned trial, but not till it was passed, in the illness of your friend Mr Carter

     The death of their Aunt caused both your Sons to leave town – And since then I have heard only from Mr Cookson of you –

     Him I frequently see – he is one of the most excellent of my friends uniting the qualities of head and heart in an eminent degree And I am happy to say; he is justly & generally appreciated – And I am great relieved by obtaining his sound advice in every emergency

     There had been a sad havoc among our London friends in common – One has to look before one can find any that respond to the character – The Twinings often out hence it happens that to find a subject to write on One must have resort to the departed

     I have however been able, And I rejoice greatly at it to put into the post office this day – And if there be no mishap it will be delivered with this letter a book which will perhaps afford you as much enjoyment as any book that the London press has of late years brought forth – It is a reprint partly And partly taken from the Brighton papers the Addresses of Robertson to the young men and Lectures to a higher class on poetry – Among others is one on the poems of Wordsworth – This you have perhaps already seen but in a less correct shape – There is in all the same fine sensibility – freedom from vulgar and sectarian prejudices and intense desire to benefit his fellow creatures All his actions were in the spirit of a remark applied only to books by Dr Arnold  I wish there were fewer religious books written, but that all books were written in a religious spirit – These two men were in many respects seemingly of an opposite character  But yet how much there was in common between them –

     Of myself and mine – I have nothing that is bad to say And yet in our state of [missing word] still stand There is no cause to boast. My brother lives suffers no pain and ^except^ only now & then suffers from paroxysms but they are happily short – His daughter in law is with him and supplies all the comfort he is capable of feeling.

     People call me a wonder but I feel a great change than those who look on from without will acknowledge I am not ill in health but I am beset by infirmities – Cough and cold in the head combined – I shall not get rid of either during the winter I expect –

     I believe that the Moxon affairs are settled – But all I have heard on this subject I have had through your Sons –

     Public matters are by no means chearing – Nothing ill has been lately revealed, but one always fears that calamities are secretly gathering to a head, we are exposed to so many –

     We are used to the India and to the China War And in both there is a temporary lull – the old party spirit is broken – So that one does not know whom to trust and what to expect – I fear the Tories are too ready to court the mob by unwise concessions – I am disgusted by remarking that the ministers & opposition leaders are alike ready to shew servile respect to Louis Napoleon – The Slave party are rampant in the new world But I must break up

     Kind regards to your Sons And the few friends around you

                 Ever affectionately yours

                                H. C. Robinson

Mrs Wordsworth

Rydal Mount

Text: WLL, Robinson, Henry Crabb/44, Wordsworth Trust and Museum, Grasmere.