Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-25
CARLYLE ON MODERN LIBERAL


1t Is generally understood, saws the
London Standard, that Mr.. Thomas
Carlyle is the writer of the short and
vigorous sketches of the early Kings Of
Norway, which have been appearing IN
FFaser's Magazine. The series is con-
cluded in the March number of Fraser,
and by way Of epilOgue the writer says:
''The history of these Haarfagrs has
awakened in me many thoughts of des-
potism and democracy, arbitrary gov
eminent by one, and self-government,
(which means no government, or an
aTchy,) by all; OF. dictatorship, with
many faults, and universal suffrage.
with little possibility Of any virtue.
For the contrast between Olaf Tryggoe-
son and universal suffrage parliament
or an imperial copper captain has, in
these nine centuri IS, grown to be very
great; and the eternal Providence that
guides all this, and produces alike
these entities with their epoehs, is not
its course still through the great deep?
Does not it still speak to Us as if we
had ears? Here, clothed In stormy
enough passions and instincts, uncon-
scious of any aim but their own salts
faction, is the. blessed beginning of
human order, regulation and real gov
eminent; there, clOthed In a highly diff
ferent, but again suitable garniture of
passions, instincts, and equally uncon-
sciOus as to real aim is the uncursed.
looking ending temporary ending) of
order, regulation and government
very dismal to the same On-looker for
the time being, not dismal to him other
wise, his hope, too, being steadfast.
But here, at any rate, In this poor
Morse Theatre one looks with interest
on the first transformations, so mystic
rious and abstuse, of human chaos
into something Of alticulate cosmos;
witnesses the wild and strange birth
pangs Of human society, and reflects
that without something similar little
as men expect such now no cosmos Of
human society ever was got into exist
ence nor can ever again be.
"The violences, fghtings, crimes-ah,
yes, these seldom fail, and they are
very lamentable. But always, too,
among those old populations there was
one saving element, the now want Of
which, especially the unlamented want,
transcends all laI1entation. Here is
one of these strange, piercing words
of Ruskin which has In It a terrible
truth for us in these epochs now come.
MY friends, the follies of modern
Liberalism, many and great though
they be, are practically summed up in
this denial or neglect Of the quality
and intrinsic value of things. Its rec
tangular beatitudes and spherical be-
nevolenees-theOlogy of universal in
diligence and jurisprudence which
viii hang no rogues-mean one and all
of them IN the root incapacity Of dis
discerning or refusal to discern worth
and unworth in anything, and least of
all In man; whereas nature and heaven
command you at your peril to discern
worth from unwOrth IN everything, and
most of all IN man. Your main prob
lem is that ancient and trite one,
Who IS . best man. and the fates
forgive much-forgive the mildest,
nefcesJ, crueIeSJ eKperlmentS-l1 fairly
made for the determination OF that.
Theft and blooi-guiltiness are not
pleasing in their night, yet the favor
ing powers Of the spiritual and material
world viii confirm 10 you your stolen
goods, and their noblest voices applaud
the lifting Of your spear and rehearse
the sculpture Of your shield, if only
your robbing and Staying have been in
fair arbitrament Of that question,
Who Is best mani But if you refuse
such inquiry, and maintain every man
for his neighbor's match-if you give
vote to the simple and liberty TO the
vile-the powers Of those spiritual and
material worlds in due time present
you inevitably with the same problem,
soluble now only wrong side upwards,
and your robbing and staying must be
done then to find out Who is lrorst
man 2 which in so wide an order Of
merit is indeed not easy, but a COM
plete Tammany Ring and lowest cir
Gle in the Inferno Of Worst you are
sure to find and To be governed by"