New-York daily tribune., 1858-10-30
W.sp XVIII.
NEW PUBLINA77ONS.
CARLYLE's FREDERIC THE GREAT.

ture the medium for expressing CONVICTIONS, a. "'i.
as for artistic deneation Mr. Carlyle is among ihe
most remarkable for the sincerity of his utterane",
the deep back ground of reflection which sustains .
even his most sportive sallies, and the genuine
originality of his point of view no less than Of his
mode of Illustration. This is the secret of the
power with which he has acted on the minds oil
thinking men during now nearly complete gcner /
alton Often apparently moody aud capricous- =
exposing his readers to a sudden surprise both ~
startling opinions and strange phrsseoloey, not
always clearly consistent with hmself,-aGd at
times almost repulsve, except 10 those who look
far b.ow the surface by his ayowal of sad, if not
cynical misauhropy,- YET wields an authority, |
which, is claimed by no other writer, and com-
mands an audience, probably not more numerous, |
but more .in earnest, and more profoundly i'm
pressed with his influence, than that of amy of the
great lights of modern literature. Apart from Lac
acknowledged mental supremacy, Mr. Carlyle i:
indebted for this position, Ia the confidence ci men
in the integrity OF his thought. With all ms way
wardness of expression, he never deals in ingenious
sophistr,-his words come from the burning
core" of profound conviction, and even bis appar.
ent exaggeratons, paradoxes, and bitter parsiage,
are but the vail of an earnest purpose, for which
the smooth, serene flow of our common modes Of
speech affords no fit expression. Although Mr..
, Carlyle is 10y no means the blind euogist
of the past he is peculiarly the prophet |
of the degeneTcy of the present WIKI
him, the eighteenth century Was the seedlower of
ages OF corruption and decent. The French ReyO-
luton was but the explosion oiihc cadron of abom-
nations which had been s,ethlug through dreary,
demonic lapse of years. No transition has yos been
made to the path of better future, and surrounded
by the ruins of efee Institutions We have no safe
guard against the base passions of men, but in the
strong hand o power The praises OF liberty which
are chaned by the singing and singing women of
the nineteenth century, form only harsh dscora
in his ear Not shadow of sympathy have we
with this somber view of society, but we none the
less admire the boldness and fidelity with which it
is urged in the manifold deDuncations of this wall.
ing soothsayer. Had we as little hope of humanity
as is manifested by Mr.. Carlyle, We should scarcely
deem it worth while to waste our breath ia indg-
nant protests sgainst papabe prevailing evils. But
we cannot but honor the brave persistency, with
which be repeats his melancholy refrain ard though
he affords no quickening impulses TO the believer
in human progress, he is surpassed by no preacher
or prophet in his stern and noble assertion of tho
eternal laws of truth and right.
The present work, accordingly, is less a history,
than homily 1t uses the facts of the ages as 3
text for ethical comment. Whoever reads it mere-
ly for its copousness of historical detail, and its
wonderful picturesqueness of description without
perceying the deep moral purpose which underlles
its gorgeous panoramic sketches, will fail Of tho
central point of the author. Considered only asa
history, however, it betrays the same mastery
hand, which wore the spectral horrors of the French
revolution into narrative no less marvellous for
its minute fidelity to details than for the startling
yiyidness Of its dramatic action. The subject, Of
course is less adapted to popular interest, and it
opens many path through thorny wAlernesses,
into which the most imperturbable reader will
scarcely wish to venture. In these volumes ia
fact, Frederic the Great occupies much less space
than his predecessors in Prlssian history the whole
thread Of which is spun out with fneness that
must prove too much for human patience ia these
days of rapid achievement and superficial results.
The volumes, however, abound with passages brill.
iantly marked with the finest characteristics of tho
author and which obviate all regret that he has de-
voted large portion of his latter days to what
may seem at first almost thankless composition.
But without enlarging our comments on this
work or its author, for which the day has perhaps
gone BY or rather not yet fully come, let us intro
ducc our readers at once to some of its imposing
representations.
We have an outline sketch Of the hero in tho
opening Of the first chapter.
PORTRAIT OF FATHER FRED.
About foufscore years ago there used to be seen
saunteTiDg the the terraces Of Sans Souci for short
time in the afternoon or you mi ght have met him else.
whore at an earlier hour, riding driving in rapid
business the open roads or through the
scraggy woods and avenues of that intricate
phibious Potsdain region, highly interesting lean
little old man, of alert though slightly STOPPING figure,
whose name among strangers was King Friedrich the
Second or Frederick the Great Of Prussia, and at
home among the common people, who much loved and
esteemed him. was Water Fritz, Father Fred, name
of familiarity which had not bred contempt in that
instance. lie is king every inch Of him, though
without the trappines of king. Presents himself in
Spartan simplicity Of vesture no crown but an old
military cooked hat-generally old OF tramped aud
kneaded into absolute sottness if new; no scepter but
one ike Agamemnons, walking stick cut from tho
woods which serves also as riding-sck with which
be hits the horse between the ears, say authors;
and for royai robes mere soldiers blue coat with red
facings coat likely to be old, and sure to have good
deal of Spanish snuff the breast Of IL; rest OF the
apparel dim, uDobrusive in color or cut ending IN
high knee military boots, which may be brushed
and, hope, kept SOFT with an underhana Suspicion
nished-D Day n Martin with TIER s"otpots iorDdieo
to approach. ~ -.-.., ,.......
TIE man is not OF godlke physiognomy any more
than nj ono.ing stature or costume: cOseshnt mouth
laws