the robson quote seems to be "the company have for eighty years slept at the edge of a frozen sea... they have shewn no curiosity to penetrate farther themselves, and have exerted all their art and power to crush that spirit in others." in 1752 joseph robson: published "an account of six years residence in hudson's-bay". he worked as a stonemason on prince of wales fort from 1733 to 1735 and returned to the bay in 1744 as surveyor and superintendent of buildings. in 1747 he returned to england and became involved with arthur dobbs and his attack on the hbc.