Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-06-18
4 VISIT TO THOMAS CARLYLE.


paper the following interesting account of
q visit to THOMAS CARLYLE
In modest old mansion, apart from the
great whirl of fashion, resides the man to
whose wonderful genius, more than to that
of any other is to be attributed the intel
lectual and spiritual activity of the current
generation. The very house he inhabiis
is significant to him. He points to the
bricks and mortar, piled up in the time of
Queen Anne, and breaks out in a strain
like this: "Look at these bricks, sir,-not
one of them is lie. Let brick be once
honestly burned and the cement good, and
your wall will stand till the trump of
doom blows it down! These bricks are
Is sharp as the day they were put up, and
the mortar is now limestone. The houses
al, around Us crumble, the bricks in them
were made to crumble after sixty years
that being the extent of most of the leases.
They are of piece with the general rot
tenness and talsehood of the time"
A strange thrill passed over me when
first stood face 20 face with these grand
features, 30 heavily marked with Time and
Fate. He met me, pipe in mouth, and
left with Mrs. Carlyle, and had reason to
remember what Margaret Fuller had writ
ten of her large earnest eyes years ago.
She is indeed help meet for Carlyle
Cheerful, kindly, witty and frank, she con-
versed most pleasantly of the habits and
labors of MIR. O. She thought the Life of
Frederick terrible piece of work, and
ardentIy wished that Frederick had died
when baby. Her wisdom, which saw
all this unwrapping OF the mouldy forms,
even of Kings, to be "all tor Hecuba,"
pleased me much. During all tie heated
and noisy argument of the evening she
did not suffer the sun of her genial nature
to GO down on our wrath for a distn-
guished American, our Minister at the
Hague, was present at the table, who was
even more determined to defend that
ballot-bo1ing" theory, which has the
same effect upon Carlyle that red flag
does upon fierce bull.
But | must not go too fast. Whilst he
engaged Mr.. Z. in conversation, | had a
good opportunity for studying the charac-
terlstlcs OF this remarkable man. Tall
and almost slender, contrary to my expec-
tations, with longish head, bent for
ward from somewhat STOPPING shoulders.
with magnificent brow overhanging q
blue eye that suggests tenderness which
nowhere else appears in his manner or
conversation, but which one can imagine
were in the ascendant when the Lite of
Sterling was writer; with short beard
and moustache giving an impression OF
granite on the lower face; with a light
and rudy color which overspread the
face with deep fushes during converse
ton; with voice which began and gen.
tly roe in moment to tornado; with a
habit OF bursting ont into loud and al.
most convulsive laughter which often end
cd in tit OF coughing; with nervous
movements OF fingers and shoulders, hint
ing strongly of ove1stndy; with a terrible
undertOne to all these-most of all to the
laughter-of pain and grief; CARLYLE
seemed to me the most fearful and tasci-
mating of all the men l have ever seen,
and whilst in his presence, remembered
the weird impressions of mingled beauty
and awe which | had when iourneyipg
through the Mammoth Gave.
He seemed deeply interested to know
all could tell him about Mr.. Emerson.
and brought out photograph he had re-
Gently obtained from some one here, de-
string to know if he looked just like that
now. l was glad to be able to show him
what 1'consider much better photograph.
All that he said about Mr.. E., indicated
the strongest personal attachment and
he seemed to think of him as King pre-
cisely because it was true of him as Paul
Louis Courier sad of himself-"The diff.
terence between me and all my contem-
poraries is that | am not aspiring to be
King sentence he quoted as applicable
to Emerson in his early edition of our
drst authors Essays.
1t Is impossible with this great frank
outspoken man, not 10 enter at once upon
the great social problems of the hour;
though he seizes upon them and goes on
from hoar to boar in wonderful mon
ologue,-with as full and high pres
sure going with as against the current OF
the sentiment around him. 1t certainly
was formidable to come face to face with
apowerful Pessimist; and whilst he spoke
felt dreary skepticism chilling me, and
seemed to hear cries of despair coming
out Of the heart of nature. All was going
wrong; our llot-boxings, our negro
emancipations, our cries tor liberty. all
showed nothing but that the nations were
given over to believe lie and be
damned. Possibly, indeed, the only way
to Paradise lay thus through he'll; but
what the people were seeking thus they
would never obtain. Society was all
wrong, and would go on getting worse
For such men as all this Liberty is pro-
ducing, one may we'll be thankful that a
good supply OF powder and shot is pre-
pairing.
BalIot-boxing Why we have tried
that in England once or twice. Not Icing
ago there was a certain Russell here, who
managed to get hold of some land which
properly belonged to others; was sun
posed to have no end to sovereigns; was
ut once adored; got easily into Parlia
ment. Presently il turns out that he has
no money at all. He comes out and con-
fesses that none of the land he has is bis
own-that he had forged will to get it.
And when the matter is looked into, it is
found again that the will is genuine, that
he did not forge it at Ill, but confessed
himself sooupdrel in order TO make some
money and cave some land by it.
"Then there was Hudson, who cut up
q vast deal OF good land with railroads.
WQlCn ran ueTo dAu o'oiy Wneies "heeueT
they were wanted or not The people got
around him-voted that Hudson was the
fountain of living waters. Every man
came with his sabscription-gave his So
or 9lOO to Hudson. l remember we'll
how he used to strut about with flaps like
fms on his dress. Bishops preached about
him, Oountesses firted with him, he was
borne to Parliament by acclamation-he
had eS, 100000. One day it was all turn