Robert Robinson, Hauxton, to John Robinson, Eriswell, 30 November 1766.

Hauxton Nov. 30th   1766

Dr Sr

  I dare say you expect either never to hear from me again, or at least to have a long apology for so long silence.  The latter is doubly your due.  But briefly let me assure you that a heap of trifling   circumstances have concurred to prevent my writing.  Mr Kitchener I trust cleared me to Sturbridge-fair-time, after which, I had a sore on my hand which disabled me writing some time, and when that got well, I had lost the key of the closet in which Mr James’s book was left, which I had promised to send.   I have at length found the key, and sent the book, which I trust you will accept.  I return also Bobby’s Experience, which I have often read over but never without tears, by which I perceive how easily we are affected by pure nature—rather than by all the trappings of art.    Methinks in some sense the little resembles the standard—the word of God.  Every fact is represented quite natural, easy, just as it is, and it is impossible surely to read such things untouched, or if we can it does but argue the hardness of our hearts.  Many are the avenues to the human heart.  fear.  hope.  grief.  joy &c.  the Holy Spirit has planted in his blessed word, artillery at each of these.  If haply any of them all may succeed,  may  answer the great end of God in all his word.  That is to reveal Christ in us, and make us happy.—I have sometimes feared at that declamation.  It shall come to pass that every soul that will not hear that Prophet shall perish and have trembled at the obstinacy of my will, for my brow Godward has been brass from the day the Lord knew me.  But still blessed is he that feareth alway.— Sometimes hope has been a high road of some gracious invitation to my heart.  The Spirit has by hope entered my soul, and it has become a good hope thro’ grace.— one while I am struck into sorrow by a conviction of sin, and again quickened into joy by a discovery of pardoning love to me a vile rebel.  Thanks be to that God who by any means has found the way to my heart, who has entered by force and yet by choice, who makes me habitually willing to be saved by Christ--O that I felt more dying to sin.  O that I was more alive to God.   But he who graciously recorded Peter’s following Christ afar off (not willing to overlook the least grace at the worst of times.) will I trust graciously vouchsafe to acknowledge me tho a follower of Christ at a distance--O that my pace was quickened. You have (no doubt) heard of Dear Mrs Dutton’s departure.--I saw her a few weeks before she died.  She apprehended her death near then.  She could not get into the meeting at the sermon but had prepared me a wine caudle against I had done, and over it—O how ravishingly she talked.  She was up, and sat by the fire.  Her countenance—I won’t say serene and composed, but blithe gay, full of a Serenity, or rather full of Immortality—My mind was full of that Scripture which I thought I then saw exemplified in Mrs. Dutton.  Psal. 92.12 etc.  The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree, which it seems grows fastest under burdens.  So did Mrs. Dutton under sickness.—He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.  So did she overtopping all the company, for many were present, ministers and people, but none of us arrived at her height--O how stately looks such a Christian.  When death is at work at the root, like the feller of timber, what a majesty in the tree, the tremor of the branches whizzes its fame, and its fall tear up under-shrubs, as her’s has affected me and others.—They shall still bring forth fruit in old age.—A woman of seventy four laden with the fruits of the spirit.  Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meeknes, temperance.  Gal. 5.22.  and these were fat and flourishing.  Not shriveled, wrinkled, nor spotted with doubts, fears, deadness, &c., but like fine ripe fruits, at once charming the eye, refreshing the smell, & gratifying the tast[e].  The sight answered the end mentioned by the Psalmist.  It shew me.  It shew us all that the Lord was upright, and that there was no unrighteousness in him.  That is it bodied forth, as it were the promises of God  to his dying saints. I had heard, that precious in the sight of the Lord was the Death of his saints, and now I saw he was true to his word, for he was present by his Spirit in the sickness and death of Mrs. Dutton.  Her Illness was a sore throat, and one of her Expressions was, “My dear Sir, I am rejoiced to think that there is but a hair’s breadth betwixt me and my father’s house.  ‘Tis but for God to stop my breath and I am with him.  And so shall I be ever with the Lord.”  She then talked for half an hour on the six last verses of the fourth chapter of the first Epistle to the Thessalonians, which also she chose for her funeral sermon, and which was preached Last Thursday was sevnight at her interment by Mr. Keymer, pastor of the church at Gransden, of which church she was a member.   She died on the Monday before without either sickness, or pain, her throat growing up so as she expressed it in her Illness, her breath being stopped  she was at once at her father’s house, and is now for ever with the Lord.  The Lord give us grace to follow her who tho’ she had always a pleasant countenance yet I never saw her look so pleasant before.—She had indeed an abundant entrance, for as she had neither sickness, nor pain of body, so neither had she a Doubt or cloud on her mind.  Methinks I can’t help praying, Let my dear friend, and me, die the death of  Mrs. Dutton, let our last end be like hers.—To that end let us try to copy her holy exemplary life, ever redeeming the time.  The evil day is at hand.

  My wishes have long been frustrated as to seeing you as Camby.  neither dare I yet invite you.  My wife and mother join in Christian love to your Dear Mamma, Sister Kitchener and whole family, and I remain, expecting soon to hear from you, my dear Sir

  ys unalterably

  R. Robinson

The following note was inserted between the signature and the P.S.  

I trust you have not forgot to procure me from Nathan such a diversion as Mrs Robinson shew us and which has been useful to me since.  I should not croud in my last request here, but I dare not begin the other side, for remembering to whom I write and forgetting how I write I should put your eyes and patience to a further trial by filling the sides

P.S.  Mr Dobson Mr Miles and others desire love to you,  yours & Dr [dear] Mr Curry particularly, whose sitting in the ditch to learn the cause of his fall, whose wheel barrow laden with morality[,]  I have never forgot nor trust I never shall for it has taught me that no Providence of God is mean or beneath notice,  but full of instruction had we eyes.  All things are easy to him who understandeth aright   Farewell, my dearest Friend.  Farewell.

Text: Crabb Robinson Correspondence, Vol. 1 (725-99), no. 17, Dr. Williams's Library.