ENGLISH MEN OF LETTERS
CRABBE
ENGLISH MEN OF LETTERS
CRABBE
BY
ALFRED AINGER
NINETEEN HUNDRED AND THREE
PREFATORY NOTE
The chief, and almost sole, source of information concerning Crabbe is
the Memoir by his son prefixed to the collected edition of his poems in
1834. Comparatively few letters of Crabbe's have been preserved, but a
small and interesting series will be found in the "Leadbeater Papers"
(1862), consisting of letters addressed to Mary Leadbeater, the daughter
of Burke's friend, Richard Shackleton.
I am indebted to Mr. John Murray for kindly lending me many manuscript
sermons and letters of Crabbe's and a set of commonplace books in which
the poet had entered fragments of cancelled poems, botanical memoranda,
and other miscellaneous matter.
Of especial service to me has been a copy of Crabbe's _Memoir_ by his
son with abundant annotations by Edward FitzGerald, whose long intimacy
with Crabbe's son and grandson had enabled him to illustrate the text
with many anecdotes and comments of interest chiefly derived from those
relatives. This volume has been most kindly placed at my disposal by
Mr. W. Aldis Wright, FitzGerald's literary executor.
Finally, I have once again to thank my old friend the Master of
Peterhouse for his careful reading of my proof sheets.
A.A.
_July 1903_
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I EARLY LIFE IN ALDEBURGH