New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-06-01
Memoranda about Thomas Carlyle.

JOHN NJ. CLA1TON.
Memoranda about Thomas Carlyle.
The following description OF Mr.. Carlyle and his
cOnv ers alton is from letter in The DHutrtes dqd
GaHOWaV Courier ~ Passing from the political
phase OF these productions the Latter Day Pamph-
leisl which is not my vocation 20 discuss, found
for myself one very peculiar charm IN the perusal
OF them-they seemed such perfect transcripts OF
the conversatIo Of Thomas Carlyle With some
thing more of set continulty-oi com posItlon-out
essentially the same thing, the latter Day Pamph.
let's are ia their own way BOswehs Lille oil
Carlyle. As | read and read, | was gradually
transported from my club room, with its news
paper clad tables, aud my doing felog.lounSers,
only kept half awake by periodical titilatlons OF
snuff and carried in spirit TO the grave and quiet
ssnctum in Chelsea, where Carlyle dlspenses
wisdom and hospitality with equally unstlnted
hand. The long, tall, spare figure is before me
wiry though, and elastic and quite capable OF
taking a long tough spell through the moors OF
Eccleechan. or Northumberland at careless,
homely ease in lis elbow chair, yet ever with
strong natural motions and starts. as the inward
spirit stirs. The face, too IS before me-long and
thin, with certain tiDge Of paleness, but no sick
ness or attenuation, hrm muscular, aud vigorously
marked and not wanting some glow OF former
rustic color-penslve almost so.emn yet open, and
cordial, and tender, very tender. The eye, rs
generally happens Is the chief outward ind tx of
the sou-an eye IS not easy TO describe but teH
ever after one has looked thereon and therein. Ii
IL dark and full, Swallowed over by a compact,
prominent forehead. But the depth, the express
sion, the far inner play OF it-who could transfer
that even to the eloquent canvas, far less 10 this
very in-cloquent paperl IL is not brightness II is
not flash, II is not power even-sOmethng beyond
all these. The expression is, so to speak heavy
'adeL-ss II betOkenng untold burdens OF though,
and ong, long fiery struggles, resoutely endured
endured until they had been IN some practical
manner overcome to adopt his own fond epithet
and it comes nearest to the thing his is the heroic
eye but of hero who has done hard battle against
PnS MIN hosts. This is no dream OF mine-l have
(flen heard this peculiarly remarked. The whole
form aud expression OF the face remind me OF
Dante,--it wants the classic element, and the ma
ture and matcbess harmony which distinguish the
countenance of the great Forentine; but some
thing in the cast and ia the look, especially the
heavy-laden but dauntless eye, IS very much alike
But he speaks to me- The tongue has the sough
of Annandale-an echo Of the Solway with Its
compliments TO old Father Thames. A KEEN sharp,
ringing voice, IN the genuine Border key, but tran
oull and sedGte witha-neighborly and frank, aud
always in unison with what is uttered Thus does
the presence of Thomas Carlyle rise before me-a
true man in all his bearings and IN all his savings
And IN this same gulse do | seem 70 hear from him
all those Latter Day Pamphlets Even such ia
bis cOnversation-be sees the very thing he speaks
of; il breathes and moves paipable to him, and
n
from him, the impression is like having seen a
great brilliant panorama everything had been
made visible and naked 10 your sight. But more
and better far than that you bear home with you
an indebe feeling OF lore for the man-deep at
the heart, long as life. No man has ever inspired
more Of this personal affection. Not 10 love Carlyle
when you know him is something unnatural as if
one should say they did not love the breeze that
fans their cheek, or the vine tree which has re-
heshed them both with its eaiy shade and its
exIberant juices. He abounds himself, IN love
and IN good works. His life, not only as writer
OF books, but as man among his fellows, has
been continued shower OF benefits. The young
men, more especially, TO whom he has been the
Good Samaritan, pouring oil upon their wounds,
and binding up their bruised limbs, and putting
them on the way of recovery OF health aud useful
energy-the number Of such can scarcely be told,
and Will never be known till the great day Of &C
counts. One of these, who IN hls prisons will ever
remember him, has Just read 20 me, with tears Of
grateful attachment IN his eyes, portions OF let
ter Of counsel and encouragement which he re-
ceived from him in the hour OF darkness, and which
was bat the prelude u thousand acts OF substan-
tia kindness and Of graceful attention. As the
letter contains no secret, anu may fall as iructfy
ING seed into some youthful bosom that may be en-
teripg upon its trials and struggles, a quotation
from Il will form Appropriate Fadle at this time.
He thus writes - IL will be good news, 10 all
times coming, 10 learn tnhk suCu lie As yours uu
folds Itself according to its promise and becomes Ia
some tolerable degree what il is capable OF being
The problem is your own, to make or 20 mara
ere.t uroblem for you, the like is for every
born INTO this world You have my entire sympathy
in your denuncaton Of the explosive chsrlc-
ter I. is frequent in these times, and de-
plorable wherever met with. Explosions are ever
yasteful woeiul: central fire should not explode
itself but lie silent, far down a. the center and
make all good fruits gror We canno. too often
renest to ourselves, Strength is seen, not In
spa,ms. but in stout bearing of burdens You can
take comfort, in the meanwhile, if you need II, by
the experience Of all wise men, that right heavy
burden is precisely the thing wanted for Young
strong man. Grievous to be borne but bear 1t
well. you will find it one day to have been verify
blessed. Il would not for any money, says the
brave Jean Paul, in his quaint way, would not
for any money have had money in my youth ! He
speaks a truth there, singular as It may seem to
many. These young obscure years ought TO be
necessarily employed in gaining knowledge of
things worth knowing, especially OF heroic human
souls worth knowing. And you may believe me,
the obscurer such years are II is apt 70 be the bet