Henry Crabb Robinson
Encyclopedia
Henry Crabb Robinson diarist, was born in Bury St. Edmunds
, England
.
He was articled to an attorney
in Colchester
. Between 1800 and 1805 he studied at various places in Germany
, and became acquainted with nearly all the great men of letters there, including Goethe, Schiller, Johann Gottfried Herder
and Christoph Martin Wieland
. Thereafter he became war correspondent
to the Times
in the Peninsular War
. On his return to London
he studied for the Bar
, to which he was called in 1813, and became leader of the Eastern Circuit
. Fifteen years later he retired, and by virtue of his great conversational powers and other qualities, became a leader in society. He died unmarried, aged 91, and his
Diary, Reminiscences and Correspondence was published in 1869.
Robinson's Diary contains important reminiscences of many of the central figures of the English romantic movement including Coleridge
, Charles Lamb, William Blake
, William Wordsworth
, and others. Although the diaries contain no particularly significant revelations they are important documents regarding the daily lives of London writers, artists, political figures and socialites. In his essay on Blake, Swinburne says, "Of all the records of these his latter years, the most valuable, perhaps, are those furnished by Mr. Crabb Robinson, whose cautious and vivid transcription of Blake's actual speech is worth more than much vague remark, or than any commentary now possible to give."
In 1829 Robinson was made a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries
(F.S.A.), and contributed a paper to Archæologia entitled "The Etymology of the Mass".
He was buried in a vault in Highgate Cemetery
alongside his friend Edwin Wilkins Field
. His diaries were bequeathed to Dr Williams's Library
, because Robinson had been a member of the Essex Street Chapel
, the first avowedly Unitarian
congregation in England.
In 1935 Edith Morley wrote a biography of Henry Crabb Robinson which was published by J.M. Dent & Sons.
A bust of Crabb Robinson was made, and a portrait by Edward Armitage
.
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds is a market town in the county of Suffolk, England, and formerly the county town of West Suffolk. It is the main town in the borough of St Edmundsbury and known for the ruined abbey near the town centre...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
He was articled to an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
. Between 1800 and 1805 he studied at various places in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and became acquainted with nearly all the great men of letters there, including Goethe, Schiller, Johann Gottfried Herder
Johann Gottfried Herder
Johann Gottfried von Herder was a German philosopher, theologian, poet, and literary critic. He is associated with the periods of Enlightenment, Sturm und Drang, and Weimar Classicism.-Biography:...
and Christoph Martin Wieland
Christoph Martin Wieland
Christoph Martin Wieland was a German poet and writer.- Biography :He was born at Oberholzheim , which then belonged to the Free Imperial City of Biberach an der Riss in the south-east of the modern-day state of Baden-Württemberg...
. Thereafter he became war correspondent
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
to the Times
Times
The Times is a UK daily newspaper, the original English language newspaper titled "Times". Times may also refer to:In newspapers:*The Times , went defunct in 2005*The Times *The Times of Northwest Indiana...
in the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. On his return to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
he studied for the Bar
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, to which he was called in 1813, and became leader of the Eastern Circuit
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
. Fifteen years later he retired, and by virtue of his great conversational powers and other qualities, became a leader in society. He died unmarried, aged 91, and his
Diary, Reminiscences and Correspondence was published in 1869.
Robinson's Diary contains important reminiscences of many of the central figures of the English romantic movement including Coleridge
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Samuel Taylor Coleridge was an English poet, Romantic, literary critic and philosopher who, with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake Poets. He is probably best known for his poems The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla...
, Charles Lamb, William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
, William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads....
, and others. Although the diaries contain no particularly significant revelations they are important documents regarding the daily lives of London writers, artists, political figures and socialites. In his essay on Blake, Swinburne says, "Of all the records of these his latter years, the most valuable, perhaps, are those furnished by Mr. Crabb Robinson, whose cautious and vivid transcription of Blake's actual speech is worth more than much vague remark, or than any commentary now possible to give."
In 1829 Robinson was made a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
(F.S.A.), and contributed a paper to Archæologia entitled "The Etymology of the Mass".
He was buried in a vault in Highgate Cemetery
Highgate Cemetery
Highgate Cemetery is a cemetery located in north London, England. It is designated Grade I on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. It is divided into two parts, named the East and West cemetery....
alongside his friend Edwin Wilkins Field
Edwin Wilkins Field
Edwin Wilkins Field was an English lawyer and painter who committed much of his life to law reform.-Life:Edwin was the eldest son of William Field and was born at Leam, near Warwick. He was educated at his father's school, and on 19 March 1821 was articled to the firm of Taylor & Roscoe,...
. His diaries were bequeathed to Dr Williams's Library
Dr Williams's Library
Dr Williams's Library is a small research library located in Gordon Square in Bloomsbury, London.-History:It was founded using the estate of Dr Daniel Williams as a theological library, intended for the use of ministers of religion, students and others studying theology, religion and...
, because Robinson had been a member of the Essex Street Chapel
Essex Street Chapel
Essex Street Chapel, also known as Essex Church, is a Unitarian place of worship in London. It was the first church in England set up with this doctrine, and was established at a time when Dissenters still faced legal threat...
, the first avowedly Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
congregation in England.
In 1935 Edith Morley wrote a biography of Henry Crabb Robinson which was published by J.M. Dent & Sons.
A bust of Crabb Robinson was made, and a portrait by Edward Armitage
Edward Armitage
Edward Armitage was an English Victorian era painter whose work focussed on historical, classical and biblical subjects.-Family background:...
.
Further reading
- Diana Behler: Henry Crabb Robinson as a Mediator of Lessing and Herder to England. In: Lessing Yearbook 7 (1975), p. 105-126.
- Diana Behler: Henry Crabb Robinson: A British Acquaintance of Wieland and his Advocate in England. In: Christoph Martin Wieland. Nordamerikanische Forschungsbeitrage zur 250. Wiederkehr seines Geburtstages 1983. Ed. by Hansjörg Schelle. Tübingen 1984, p. 539-571.
- Diana Behler: Henry Crabb Robinson and Weimar. In: A Reassessment of Weimar Classicism. Ed. by Gerhart Hoffmeister. Lewiston (NY) 1996, p. 157-180.
- Jean-Marie Carré: Madame de Staël et Henry Crabb Robinson d’après des documents inédits. In: Revue d’histoire littéraire de la France XIX (1912), p. 539-546.
- D[avid] G[lass] Larg: Mme de Staël et Henry Crabb Robinson: Fiction et Vérité. In: Revue de littérature comparée 8 (1928), p. 654-671.
- Hertha Marquardt: Henry Crabb Robinson und seine deutschen Freunde. Brücke zwischen England und Deutschland im Zeitalter der Romantik. Nach Briefen, Tagebüchern und anderen Aufzeichnungen unter Mithilfe v. Kurt Schreinert. 2 Vols. Göttingen 1964.
- Stefanie Stockhorst: Gelehrte Geselligkeit und europäischer Kulturtransfer. Zur Deutung des produktiven Zu-sammentreffens von Henry Crabb Robinson und Mme. de Staël in Weimar. In: Jörg Drews/Gabi Pahnke (eds.): „Weimar ist ja unser Athen.“ Mit Seume in Weimar. Vorträge des Colloquiums zu Johann Gottfried Seume in Oßmannstedt 2007. Bielefeld 2010, p. 119–140.
- Stefanie Stockhorst: Was leistet ein ‚cultural turn‘ in der komparatistischen Imagologie? Henry Crabb Robinson als Vermittler deutscher Dichter- und Gelehrtenkultur nach England. In: arcadia 40.2 (2005), p. 354-374.
- Stefanie Stockhorst: Henry Crabb Robinsons doppeltes Deutschlandbild. In: Weimarer Beiträge 51 (2005), p. 254-269.
- James Vigus: Zwischen Kantianismus und Schellingianismus: Henry Crabb Robinsons Privatvorlesungen über Philosophie für Madame de Staël 1804 in Weimar. In: Germaine de Staël und ihr erstes deutsches Publikum. Literaturpolitik und Kulturtransfer um 1800. Ed. by Gerhard R. Kaiser and Olaf Müller. Heidelberg 2008, p. 357-393.