The life and times of Henry Crabb Robinson

The Life and Times of Henry Crabb Robinson is intended as an introduction to the forthcoming volumes of selections from his diary and reminiscences which include all his references to contemporary English writers. This fact accounts for what may seem undue compression in the description of his relations with Wordsworth, Coleridge, Lamb, and his literary intimates, especially when contrasted with the space given to other subjects. It has, however, been my primary object to place him in his milieu and to record the chief events of his life and doings, as retailed in the many volumes of his papers, rather than to summarize what within the next few months will be given in extenso in his own words. The process of selection from so great a quantity of material has not been so simple as might appear from the size of this small volume. I can but hope that the result may appear commensurate with the amount of labour it has entailed.