Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-08-15


lines, which he calls "Thc American Tlad in
Nutshell" This ''Illiad" is very offensive
to liberal-minded people in England and to all
loyal people in this country; and yet it accords
well with the thought, and habit of mind, that
have constantly found expression in Carlyle.
The entire article to which we refer is as fol-
lows =
"ILIAs (AMERICANA) IN NUCE.
"PETER of tie North ito PAUL Of the Sonth.)
paul, you unaccountd6e Scoundrel, l find
you hire your servants for lite, not by the
month or year as l do! You are going
straight to hell, you -"
''PAUL. Good words, Peter! The risk is
my own; l am willing to take the risk. Hire
your servants by the month or by the day. and
get straight to heaven; leave me to nay own
method"
"PErER. NO, won't. l will beat your
brains out first! (Aad Is trying dyeadfully
erer since, but cannot get maRagert t. c."
May, 1868.
In his books, Thomas Carlyle has shown
wonderful force ana richness of intellect, to
certain extent. He has used his Thor's ham
mer against such shams and conventionalisms
as stood directly in his way, and also against
not allow him to appreciate. He is a wor-
shipper of power, despotism, irresponsible
power that is law unto itself, provided the
despot's claim to rule is supported by superb
ority Of intellect and will. He believes re-
hgiouSly in kingships and lordships; but the
kings and lords must be real. He has never
publishedabook, or pamphlet in which all this
does not appear; and it subordinates every
thing else in his portrayals and discussions of
such characters us Cromwell and Bonaparte
His style of hero worship has led him to
make relentless war on the shams of Eu-
ropean politics and society, in which he has
engaged the attention and sympathy of all
liberal and progressive men, while the mag
niticence of his intellect won their admira-
ton Thus it has happened that he has too
often been classed where he did not belong,
and that great many earnest minds have
found entertainments and even impulse, in
his writings, although never participating in
his steady worship of power and contempt
of human rights Too often they have failed
to look carefully at the false and vicious
thought in which his mind lives; or theJ
have been so occupied with the splendor of
his utterances and with his thunder strokes
at popular shams, as to become oblivious to
his real aim. Such men, on both sides of
the Atlantic, have given him consideration
and authority which he never deserved.
We recollect very well how surprised and
shocked were many of Carlyles admirers on
reading his Latter Day Pamphlets" They
could hardly believe that Thomas Carlyle held
and advocated the doctrines they found so alb
horrent, so arrogant, and scornful of justice
and the rights of man. There must be some
mistake, they thought; some explanation,
which would dispense the baleful darkness that
had so suddenly gathered about their idol and
as -,.II----iy restore the lost brightness. There
scaS a mistake, but it was in themselves.
They had not studied Carlyie's thought. Their
admiration had not been attended by just APP
probation. Therefore it was natural that they
should be painfully astonshed when he COM
PEELED them to see and feel what he meant.
The utterances that disturbed them were in
strict accordance with the thought that had al.
ways appeared in his books; but now it had
taken form that compelled their attention
They might have seen it before, for when had
this bilious worshipper of masterships, lord
ships, and despotic power IN every form, spo-
ken single word in support or just appreci-
alton of human rights?
Earnest men, who constantly seek progress
towards the highest forms OF thought and life,
can now see the difference between Carlyle and
their ideal of great and serene thinker His
american Illiad," like similar things in his
"Latter Day Pamphlets comes legitimately
from that disregard Of the masses of men,
and that glorifcation of despots, which abound
in everything he has written. 1t is false in
statement and Internal in spirit, because
his philosophy Of society is so. 1t is
the legitimate expression Of his scorn for
the 'mudsills" and ''inferior classes" which
leads him to regard them as little better than
"the generations ofsour paste" and fit for moth
ing but subsection TO some stern and powerful
mastership. 1t is, however, significant that
he shrinkS from describing slavery as it is,
and, instead, resorts to falsehood, il order to
hide the mdeous injustice which he treats with
such villanous fIppancy; and, also, quite as
noteworthy that he finds it necessary to falsi-
ty the character of the shareholders rebellion
IN order not to seem too indecent in defend
ing their treason to their country, to freedom.
and to humanity.