New-York tribune., 1869-04-16
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
c,D1vtws sARToR REsARTUs.

The significance OF TINS Splcnulo lhdPSoNJ -
truly appreciated by the present generation Oh ie"u
DTS than it was by the transeendent young lei anu
moilens of Boston who some thirty years ago lounu
- pont.oost in ifs vondrous suggestions OF a
nohlor Efe than the barren routine OF custom ana
i,itotior At tLat time, tho name OF Carlyle had
orI,, hoopn IA ba regarded with curious interest;
now il is one of the mighty powers IN English htor
sture The announcement OF a great thinker let
Ioose pnon the world" was uttered almost in wins
osrv and this grotesque efluson of his genius was
,ood NV some as riddle and welcomed by others as
an apocalypse. Carlyle was introduced to the Amer
ican public as one whose humor was TO advance the
eravest specuations the gravest topics in quaint
and burlesque STYLE" and an apology was found for
the occasional eccentrcites of his genius" in the
"wit and sense that never fail him." The learned
North American Review, then in the hands of one
of the most ponderous scholars of the day, after
numbering discussion of the character of the work,
solemnly arrived at the conclusion that "Sartor Re
sarus" is not what it pretends to be- that Herr Pro-
fessor Teufesdr0ckh is only myth, and that the
work instead of being q German treatise on tho
"Phosophy of Clothes the product of the erratic
Imagination Of the English writer
Still the publication of Sartor Resartus" in Bos-
ton. may be said in some sense, to have formed q
new era in the history of mental progress in New
England 1t reproduced the experience of large
class Of readers who were moro or less addicted to
meditation and roverio. Thinkers from whose minds
many of the ideas that were held sacred i'll Church
and State had gradually faded out found in it war
rant for their own doubts or perchance, their own
convictions Solitary students on whom the burden
of ancient dogmas pressed heavily rejoced in the
pregnant hints which threw fresh light on the
mysteries Of faith aud destiny. The enemies OF
Pharsaisn Of cOncsited respectabilty, Of plausible
hypocrisy, were made glad by its stern warfare with
shining protense and insincerity Many who werc
unable to comprehend the depth of Its spiritual
riches were alured by the startling fascina-
tions of its style, and the mystic beauty OF its
imagery. The work was rude shock to the drowsy
literary traditions of the day. 1t beokened an awak
ening in the world of literature, which had not then
entered upon the development which has since been
so conspicuously illustrated in the subsequent writ
ings of Carlyle himself, the magnetic creations of
Dickens the keen, subtle sense and pathetic wis
dom of Thackeray, and the profound imaginative
pictures of human life by the Brownings.
1t may be of interest to some of our readers, who
have lost sight of this extraordinary production in
the rushing throng of recent works, to revert
for moment to its character and to listen to the
counsels Of friendly wisdom which lurk beneath its
grim humor, and whimsical masquerade costume.
"Sartor Resartus" purports to be collection Of
fragments from the work of hirsute German pro-
writer presents bits of his autobiography, with
satircal comments on modern society, manners, and
character, forming strange medley OF wit and
irony, tender pathos scornful denunciatOn, and
earnest appeal. The essence of all science,
he afllrms in his queer way, lies in the
PHILOSOPHY Of Clothes" All visible things
are emblems Matter exists only spiritually,
and TO body forth some idea Hence Clothes, despc-
able as we think them, are so unspeakably signif-
ia Iorxrv -1o fi,oNo
emblematic of manifold cunning victory over
want. On the other hand all emblematic things are
properly Clothes, thought-woven or handwOYen,
and the Philosophy of Clothes we reach its
real meaning promises to reveal new-coming eras
the first dim rudiments and already budding germs
of nobler era in universal history"
Professor Teufelsdr0ckh Asafptida is first brought
upon the scene as q of still and solf-contaned
lfe devoted to the highest philosophers but sren-
uous opponent Of Hegel and Bardi, betrayinR a GER
tain speculative radicalisn beneath his high, silent
contemplatiVe transcendentalism He muses. over
his tumbler of bitter beer, with no visible employ
ment but looking into the clouds of bis tobaccOppe
and sometimes from his airy watch tower in the
high attic gaze upon the streets and lanes of the
city at his feet.
"Ilook down into all that waspnest beehive" have
we heard him say, "and witness their waxlayng and
honey making, and pOsOnbrew1ng, and choking by sui
pSnr From the Palace esplanadc, where music plays
Ss o TseSs hea 70 a hs ssed wSo
knitting for thin livelihood. sits to feel the afternoon
cock no bped stands high COuriers arrge besrapped
and bebooted. bearing Joy and Sorrow bagged-up in
horses rolisin the country Baron and his household
here timbOrlsg. the lamed Soldier hops painfully
along, begging aims: thousand carriages, and w8ins,
and ears, come tumbngin with Food, with young Rus
% n@ Ssr ont aw % prodnce
That living flood, pouring through these streets OF all
whther il is goingi Aus der Eoigkeit der Epi0keu
hin From Eternity, onward to Eternity These are
visible: In Bodies, thai took shape and wiz lose it,
melting INTO arr Their solid Pavement s Picture Of
Time is behind them and before them Or faneest thou
S ie heels and feather ts To-Day With
ont Yesterday Tonic and had not rather its
fssSds Friend, tsou seest here living link in that
Tissue of History which inweaves all Being watch WELL
@Ieh, snsin Iio6eriS said no once at midnight when
we had returned from tho In rathor earnest
OF ampght struggling ny through smoke and thousand
fold eIhaaOn somO fasons into the sncsn, n reign i 81
HuntngDogs ever the Zenith in their Leash Of ndsrea
ls an down to % Tess aud the Of vanity I
rolling and there through dstant streets arc bear
% 70 and ony Vice and Misery to oW or i to
IKE nghtbIrds, abroad: that hum say. like tho
esveni Oh under that hdeous coverlet Of vapos and
lies Sens sa6 S Tc & nd e
sorowfu are there men arc dying there mon are being
DOfnt men pfaymR--Oh tne Otncr sld0 OF Dr1ck
partition, men arc cursing and around them all Is the
vast. void Night The proud Grapdes still pgers in his
perfumed saloons, reposes within damask curtains;
Wretchedness covers into trdcke-beds, shlyers
hungerstreken into its lair OF straw IN obscure cellars
RouOeeNoir angidy enits its voice OF destiny 10 ha
gard hungry Villains; while Councillors of State sit plot
ting, and playing their high chess game whereof the
pawns arc Men. The Lover whispers his mistress that
the ceac ready and she, fun OF hope and fear gdes
down, 10 y with him the borders: the Thief sl
silently setso his pcklocks and crowbas or Turks
in wait till tho wachmen first In their boxes. GAY
mansions. with suppeFTOOms aud dancing rooms, are
full OF light and music and hghswellng hearts but IN