Crabbe on Smugglers
[The third paragraph of this letter has been quoted in Huchon's monograph on Crabbe (p. 515, note 1): the rest appears for the first time. The letter was once in the Mackay collection at Trow- bridge and is now in a private collection at Oxford.
As regards the contents, the Christian Observer for October, 3819 had criticized a poem in Tales of the Hall, called "Smugglers and Poachers," on the ground that neither smugglers nor poachers read the Bible. Crabbe, from his memories of the Suffolk coast, asserts that though poachers do not read it smugglers might. The poem is about two brothers, James and Robert, James is a game- keeper, Robert a smuggler, but
"Always prayed 'ere he a trip began.
And was too happy for a wicked man."
When, however, ho takes to poaching, he abandons the Bible s "The well-known shops received a large supply, That they who could not kill at least might buy." And he and James shoot one another in a midnight fray.
As for the third paragraph of the letter. Crabbe had recently parted with all his literary rights to John Murray for £3,000, and he here apologizes to his former publisher, Hatchard. Hatchard seems to have behaved very considerately.—E. M. F.]
Addressed to "Mr J Hatchard Bookseller Piccadilly London " Postmark No. 12, 1819.
Trewbridge 11 Nov : 1819 DEAR SIR I take as an Act of Kindness your sending to me that number of the Christian Observer in which my late Book has been reviewed : the Writer is probably unknown, personally, to me, but He appears to be one whom any Man might desire to know & I take all his Remarks as those of an informed, candid & serious Mind, more serious perhaps than a Critique on Verses of any Description call for : Little I am afraid can be effected by the Muse of most moral and even seraphic Endowments : the Urania of Milton and the—I know not what to call her—of Young included : Creating in the Reader a general Sobriety and some Elevation of Mind is all I think that can be expected or that will be found to arise from the perusal of the more serious & sublime poetry, but even if I thought more might be done, a Writer must consider whether he be capable of doing it. I endeavour to take up the Burden that fits my Shoulders and I fear that under one of more weighty & precious kind, I should stumble & fall.
I am not disposed to question the Sentiments of the Writer of that Article : We are probably too much engaged, both, to have Leisure for comparing the minor Differences of Opinion & Differences very great I presume there are not. Matters of fact ask less Timc & this Gentleman will pardon me, I hope, when I assure him that Smugglers pray & read their Bible: I do not mean by Smuglers, nocturnal Ruffians, who if they did not smuggle would rob, even in their Sense of the Word, but men & Women engaged in the Buying & selling Goods which have not paid the legal Duties. These people look upon this as Trafic of adventurous but not criminal not unmoral Nature. I knew at one period of my Life two Villages, & I am convinced, nay I am almost certain, that if I except the Minister & 2 or 8 of the more opulent Farmer's Wives, there was not an Inhabitant in either who did not deal in this Trade & this Gentleman will not surely judge so hardly as to suppose the instructed people of two populous Villages to be without piety or prayer. In truth, they are taught that illicit Trafie is hazardous but not forbidden by their Religion : In some Cases when evil Habits or want of Success drive the
Smuggler into disparate measures as Contending with the Revenue Officers or Invasion of the Property of Individuals, then indeed the Bible must be thrown aside & the prayer omitted. When my Smugler turned poacher he probably ceased to need to pray & as far as he could to think—but I do not mean to dispute the Sentiment as a general one.— What you observe of our Connection & its Termination is what might be expected from you. I am happy to reflect upon the past because I find all was correct & fair : we part not in Complaint, in Resentment, in Suspicion. Duty to my Family, an increasing Family, And that common & natural Desire of Gain, led me to except a liberal offer but it certainly abates not my good opinion or takes in any Degree from my Regard. With [Regard?] to Mr. Murray, I must act justly & as I [9 have] invested him with all my Right to a Claim ov[er] the Works which at different Periods you published as mine, be so good as to consider that Gentleman as standing in my place with Respect to these Works & -whatever his Wishes & requests are they have my full Consent and Concurrance.—
I shall always be glad of an Opportunity of hearing of or from you. I return you my sincere Thanks for the Trouble you have taken, & with the best Wishes for your Health & Comfort & of Mrs. Hatchard & your family I remain my dear Sir yours very truly GEO CRABRE4
Previous page
