The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-02-06
NEW ROOK,S


1861.
"Born on the 26th of January, 1922: deceased
on the 25th August, 1885, is part Of the inscrip-
ton-composed by Adam Ferguson, his friend-on
the tomb of the author of these remarkable me.
mors. twill be seen what an important space in
history lies between these dates; and of events
which took place within that period, and of many
of the principal actors then on the stage Of the
world, there more intelligent observer than
DR.. Carlyle. "Having Observed" says he, chow
carelessly, and consequently how falsely, history
''is written, have long resolved to note down
''certain facts within my own knowledge, under
'the title of anecdotes and Characters ofhe Times,
''that may be subservient to future historian, if
'not 20 embellish his page, yet to keep him within
'the bounds of truth and certainty"
| Having written with such purpose, and with
marked ability and success, it is amatter of surprise
that this autobiography whose existence well
known and whose value highly estimated, should
not have been made public long before now. The
existing generation of readers will perhaps ac-
quiesce in a delay which brings them legacy, in
creased in value by interest, which has accumua-
ted in the sixty years in which it has been locked
up; yet cannot fail to realize that serious in
justice has been perpetrated upon posterity by
keeping so valuable property from its use. for
length of time as repugnant to the principles Of
literature as of law. The excuse offered by the
editor will hardly serve. Although there is much
in these pages which might have given pain and
offence published Immediately upon the authors
DEATH that reason has long ceased to operate, and
more than one generation has been needlessly de-
prived of the benefit and pleasure to be derived
from their perusa.
| DR.. Carlyle seems to have been one of those
characters occasionally met with, who fitted in
every respect for the most important positions; yet
| who, possibly from the exact poise and perfection
of their natures never gravitate beyond the sphere
originally assigned them, but with the true
tent inspired 5y genuine self-respect, seem wholly
unconscious that human life offers anything
higher and better than the proper performance Of
the duties attached to every station. Yet among
his fellows he was man of note, not less for his
personal, than for his moral and intellectual quail
ties. Sir Walter Scott said of him "The grandest
"demi-gOd l ever DR.. Carlyle, minister of
| "Musseburgh, commonly called Jupiter Carlyle
Another observer recorded that ''bis portly figure
CHS fine. expressive countenance, with acqune
"nose, his flowing silver locks, and the freshness of
''the color of his face, made n prodigious impress
'sion on the courtiers; but it the soundness of
CHS sense his honorable principles and his social
"qualities, unmixed with anything that detracted
'from, or was unbecoming the character of clergy
"man, gave him his place among the worthless
'Born in a simple manse, he remained all his days
''that type of humble respectabiity-a village pas
''tor; does he to have desired higher
x"t &c .nra 10 lao aStin ted by the in
character and force, rather than the rank to which
they have attained, he must be regarded as a very
| remarkable individual.
The first thing which will strike the reader in the
autobiography of Scottish Presby terian minister
is the absolute and entire omission of all religious
speculation. From anything that appears, except
that we are informed the author took orders and
was an established clergyman in the parish of In
veresk for fty-seven years, he might have been an
Epscopalian or Socinian, or anything else His
references to his profession are all in the way of
business He appears at times to have taken an &C.
tive and distinguished part in the politics of the
Scottish Establishment but how far he accorded
with its faith, or what share he had in its works.
he has left no intimation. How completely a mat
ter of business his call to the ministry, will be
best gathered from his own words, which are worth
quoting, as they serve to show state of things at
that time with which our own, we trust, will COM
pare very favorably. At all events, we think no
minister of the present day would record such
| confession:
About this time the choice of profession became abso
lutey necessary. had thoughts of the army and the
law, but was persuaded to desst from any views on
them by my fathers being unable to carry on nv educa
on for the length of time necessary the one or TO sun
port me till he could procure commission for me- as he
had money purchase and by means of the
the establishment Of the army low Both these hay-
| ing failed by the persuasion of Leslie & Conway nv
Irish friends thought of surgery, and had prevailed SO
far that father went to Edinburg the autumn to
look for master in that profession In the meantime
came letter from my grandfather, in favor of his own
/ nd fhat nf fat thar
force and energy, and stating many reasons for my
yielding to the wish of my friends and the conrenency
OF family still consisting of eight children of whom
the eldest that yielded the influence of parental
wishes and advice which in those days swayed the minds
ofyoung men much than they do or have done
| Tor many years past
| The adoption OF the Church required all the ad-
vantages of education possible in Scotland at that
day. Young Carlyle, having attended the Edin-
burgh schools for some years, obtained by family
interest, what he calls Gone of the bursaries given
by Duchess Ann Hamilton sin the former century
''to students in divinity, to pass two winters in
"Glasgow College, and a third in some foreign
university; the salary for the first two years fl00
''Scots annually, and for the third G400; which
"mght have been competent as far back as 1910,
'but was very far short of the most moderate
"pense at which student could live in 1742." "a
hundred pounds Scots was not quite forty-two dol
lars.) After his two years at Glasgow he went
over to the celebrated University of Leyden where
he passed year, and it vas at these three famous
schools tAan he began to form those acquaintance
with distinguished men which were afterwards ex-
tended and improved by frequent visits to London
and other parts of England and Scotland. Of the
number OF celebrities who come in for personal no.
tice in these memoirs, the reader will form better
idea from the following recital of some of them:
The father of Carlyle was the minister of the par
ish OF Prestonpans, near Edinburgh. Among his
parishioners was the infamous Colonel Charteris
Another was the celebrated Col Gardiner soon
afterwards killed at the battle of Presonpans, the
story of whose miraculous conversion is now shown
of all the marvellous incidents related by bod
bridge. At Edinburgh he was the companion of
Robertson, the historian Home, the dramatist, and
DR.. Witherspoon, afterwards so well known in
this country. He was witness to all the circum-
stances of the Porteous mob, which are fully de-
tailed. Ruddiman, the grammarian; Lord Lo-
vat, Simson, the mathematician, and Prince
Charles, the Pretender, are among the next
hgures introduced. Then at Legion we meet
with John Gregory, John Wilkes, In,materiality
Baxter, Charles Townshend, and Dr. Aitkep. On the
way over to London fall in with Voletti an Ita-
ian danseuse in pantaloons, who afterwards became
Mrs. Garrick. At London we get to Court
near
how the news of the battle of Cuoder is received
at the British capital. Then we are introduced
to Thompson (of the Seasons), Armstrong & Seeker
Next carried back to Scotland, and are made
acquainted with David Hume, Adam Smith, Adam
Ferguson, and DR.. Hugh Blair. Among other
names may be mentioned, promiscuously, Admi-
raj Byng, Dundas, Wedderburne, Archibald, Duke |
of Argyll, Garrick, Lord Butte, Lord Littleton,
Shenstone at the Leasowes, Ossian Macpherson,
Benjamin Franklin, Lord Give, Mrs. Montague, |
&C., &C., all of whom come 10 for some ppropriate |
notice In such procession of names there are !
certainly some very remarkable omissions, of which
we NAV specify two-those of DR.. johnson and |
Robert Burns Not the slightest allusion is made
to either of these which stand so mmeasurably SUI
perior to all others that introduced in the whole
course of the work.
This is particularly quotable book, and the
temptation to publish many passages which we
have marked, is hardly to be resisted. At
one place we have notice of supper in
London, the most expensive that could be got at a
tavern; where, amongst other things, they had
champagne and ice creams, both of which were
"new to me, and the last then rare in London"
Then there comes joke like that of Purdie the
Rector of the Grammar School at Glasgow who,
after looking at q very remarkable comet through