The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-04-29
Carlyle and Franklin.

At the meeting of tho New York His.
torical Society yesterday, Hon. Edward
Everett presented rare English manu-.
script, which he had received from
Thomas Carlyle, containing memoran.
dums relating to the Franklin family in
England, previous to their removal to
America. 1t is the original manuscript
record book of the small tithes Of the
parish of Ectou, Northamrtops Eng.
land, from 1910 TO about 1900 the par.
isb where the family of Bonj amin Frank.
lin had been established for several gen.
eratious previous to the emigration to
Boston in 1852. This venerable relic
had, it seems. been found in Nortbanp-
tonshire by Mr., Wake, an English gen.
tlcman, who presented it to Mr. Carlyle,
Mr.. Carlyle, in transmitting the book to
Mr.. Everett, wrote as follows:
Mr.. Lawrence carries for me a lit
tie packet to your address A strange
old brown MS, which never thought Of
travelling out Of it, native parish but
which now, so curious ara the vicissi.
tudos and growth of things finds its real
home on your side Of the Atlantic, and
10 your hauds first of all The poor
manuscript is an old Tithes Book of the
parish of Ecton, in Nortbamptonshirc,
from about 1910 to 100 aud contains,
| perceive, various scattered faint indi.
cations of the civil war time, which are
net without interest but the thing
which should raise it above all tithes.
books yet heard is, that i. contains actu.
al notices in that fashion Of the an ces.
tors Ct Benjamin Franklin blacksmiths
in that parish Here they are-their
fOrge-hammers yet goiDg-renting SO
mary "yarolands of Northamptonshrs
church soil--kceping so many sheep. ~.
&c.-littie conscious that one of the
demigods was to proceed out of them |
h.tter myself these old plaster cast rep
resolutions Of the very form au1 pres
sure Of the piimoval Cor at least 13ri0l-
cval fraubllns will be interesting in A.
merca; there is the very stamp (as it
wole) Of the black knQcllIcs, Of their
hob nailed shoes, strongly preserved to
us, in hardened clay, and now inds-
structible, if wo take care Of it
d" IN the interior Of the parcel are the
necessary further Indications Of its his
tory. | am very happy now to give Up
this MS. to your piety beng the
best dictate Of my own piety npjn the
subject. To your wise keeping and wise
disposal l now surrender it aud it is
you tina, have it Oh your conscience
hereafter, not l."
In reply to letter of acknowlcdg
ment, Mr.. Carlyle addressed second
letter TO Mr.. Everett, 22l Deem Der,
1851, in which the following Characters.
tic extract occurs:
IAN is right with this matter Of the
old tithcs book, and am heartily pleas.
ed to find that it so pcases you, aud is
to have such honors as you indicate. a
poor half.foolish and yet partly very sc.
rous and worthy old object, has been
rescued from its vague wanderings over
cosmos and chaos, and at length helped
into its right place in the creation, for
which small mercy let US be thankful,
and wish only that in bigger cases (of
which in nature there are SO many and
of such tragical sort) the Same perfect
service could always be done Alas alas
Long life to Frauklins memory !
VIC add our little shout to that of the
Bostoners in inaugurating their monu-
ment for him. Long life to the memo
~ Of all brave men to which prayer, if
we could add only, speedy death to the
memory of all who were not So it would
be a comprehensive petition, and of sal
utary tendencies, in the epoch of Bar.
mum aud Hudson F-NcH York Ieic-
graph.