Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-03-07
THE FIRE-SEDE.
BODY AND MIND.
by THOMAS CARLYLE.

by THOMAS CARLYLE.
Two men honor, and no third First, the
toil-worn craftsman, that, with earth made nstru-
ment laboriousy cpnquers the earth, and makes
her mans. Venerable to me is the hard hand,
crooked, coarse; wherein notwithstanding, lies Il
cunning virtue, indefeasibly royal, as the scep-
tire Of this plaret. Venerable, 90, is the rugged
face, weather-tanned, bcsoiled with its rude in
teigence for it is the face of man living
manlike. Oh, but the more venerable for thy
rudeness, and even because we must pity as well
as love thee, Hardly entreated brother. For
us was thy back so bent for us were thy straight
limbs and fingers so delormed; thou vert our
conscript on whom the lot fell, and fighting our
battles vert so marred. For in thee, too, lay a
God-creatcd form, but it was not to be unfolded ;
encrused must it stand with the thick adhesions
and delacements of labor; and thy body, like
thy soul, was not to know freedom Yet toll on,
toll on, thou art in thy duty, be out of it who
may thou toilest for the altogether indispensa-
Bile, for daily bread.
A second man | honor, and still more highly;
him who is seen toiling for the spiritual indspen-
sabe---not daily bread, but the Bread of Life Is
not he, too in his duty, endeavering towards
inward harmony--reyealing this by act and by
word, though all his onward endeavors, be they
high Or low! Highest of all, when his outward
and inward endeavor are one when we can
name him artist; not earthly craftsman only,
but inspired thinker, that with heayen-made i'm
plement conquers heaven for us If the poor
and humble toll that we may have food, must
not the high and glorious toll for him in return,
that he may have Light, Guidance, Freedom,
Immortality These two in all their degrees,
| honor: all else is chaff and dust, which let the
wind blow whittier it lsteth
Unspeakably touching is it, however, when I
find both dignites united and he who tolls
outwardly for the lowest of mans wants. is also
toilmg inwardly for the highest Subimer in
this world know | nothing than the peasant
saint could such anywhere now be met with
Such one will take thee back to Nazareth
ITSELF thou wilt see the splendor of heaven
spring forth from the humblest depths Of earth
like light shining in great darkness.
And again it is not because of his toll that
| lament for the poor; we must all toll or steal
(howeyer we name our stealing which is worse
no faithful workman finds his task pastime
The poor man is hungry and athirst, but for hin
also there is food and drink; he is heavy-lader
and weary, but for him also the heavens sent
sleep, and Of the deepest; in his smoky crib, ;
clear dewy heaven of rust envelopes him, anC
ftfuI glimmerngs of cloud-skirted dreams But
what do mourn over is, that the lamp of hi!
soul should go OUT that no ray of heavenly, OF
even earthly knowledge should visit him; bu
only in the haggard darkness, like two spcctres
Fear and Indignation. Alas, while the BODY
stands SO broad and brawny, must the soul BE-
blinded, dwarfed supplied, almost annihilated
Alas, was this too a breath of God; bestowed
i'll heaven, but ON earth never to be unfolded
That there should one man die ignorant whC
had capacity for knowledge, this Icall tragedy
were it to happen more than twenty times in
minute, as by some computations it does.
d" Shall the Judge of all the earth do right 2
What knowest thou, o man, of what thou sees
so darkly? That little light so indistinct to tn,
sight may be rejoiced over by the angels of heav
en- The single step IN the right path may leaC
to an enduring and eternal weight of glory. Gu
Lord said to his disciples, "Bessed are ye poor
) for yours is the kingdom of heaven"