New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-11-14

extracts from lis writings IN few characteristic
and quaint words addressed 20 the editor can
have little or no doubt" he writes, " but the po'A
of selections which YOU have done me the favor 10
make is faithfully and udjciousy executed ana WIN
he a creditabe and more or less useful little DooN'
50 that nv distinct answer is, and must be, go On
with il. as you yourself Judge best l"o
spcchncns of Carlyle comprise passages rom
the whole stately procession of ms "l''"tS'
cxtenduQ from "SMtOr Rcsartus'' inc n"io
product of his early manhood 10 "|
ericl, the Great the child Of his undlsmaye' ora
age. displaying the boldness, grandeur an" u",E
of the works which have been the WohdeI anu '"0
low of so many hearts. In looking over TINS co'I'',
49,, , i struck with the identity of thought ana
peculiar east of expression which perVade allIo'V
every extract Passages of splendid composition
which were familiar to the reader in an early essay
are reproduced. with hardly change of form, IN
later history This is because In listening 10
CARLYLE is the man and not the writer who speaks
lie WAS possessed with certain ovennasterl!s "r"S
which were to him an inspiration ana eo'it'' ii'7
words are not the creations Of literary AT nut 'e
utterances of a fiery soul. lOu see IN INN no Po'',
no philosopher no of letters, but the Ster" 'u
hoary prophet who from his rock III IHe "H"'i'''S
announces the Orac.cs OF Cod
The basis OF Dir. Carlyle's thinking Is the mystery
md the solcmnIty Of existence. "Wcknow not "h"t
we are anv more than what we shall be. It's
bipb solemn. almost awful thought, for every
individual NJ, that his earthly influence, when
has mad a commencement, will never through All
ages. though he were the mcancst OF Us, nave an
endl What is done is done; has already blcine"
itself with one boundless, everything cvei-""IhhS
Universe aud will also work there for good OF l'l
evil, openly or secretly, throughout all uue'
According 10 Carlyle the life OF every nan is q
,oem with beginning. middle, and end, with
IL, tytfh
fate ITS elegy and battle-Snging and every WH'Io
the traanc clements Of pity and fear. IT IS
surrounded with the clements of the super
natural For was not the man born out OF
uoucutitv; did he not die, and miracuousiy VANISH
inc return thitherW The life of man includes IN
il all revelations. 1t may be called a prophecy
"siuce only in reality lies the essence and toun"a-
tjon of all that was ever tabled Vl>loncd sung si"-
ken. or babhed by the human Species Leu man
reverence lis fellow man. lie too issued rom
Above. is rpvstical and supernatural Every htc or
rather every man that has life to lead is poem OF
at least an occasional verse, OF some small sIoPhe'
eomposcd by the supernal powers. A few are heroic
stroples full Of force and a sacred fire, SO that TO
latest ages the hearts of those that read therein are
made 10 Jingle" In strict speech man always re-
mains the clearcst symbol of Divinity to man. On
this point Carlylcs doctrine may he summed up IN
the striking passage from Noyalis to which he often
refers as the exp. sslOn of "a dcyoutest heart
There is but one temple in the world, and that is
tho body of man. Bending before men is reverence
done to this revelation IN the flesh. We tonch
heaven when we lay our hand on human body
Ii Nature is one aud living indyislbc whole,
much more is mauEiad, the image that reflects and
creates Nature, without which Nature were not.
"Gencrations arc as the days OF tosomc mankind;
Death and Birth arc tho vcsper and the nGtin bells
that Summon mankind to sleep and to rise refreshed
for new advancement"
Another cardinal point with Carlyle is the suprcm-
acy of duty over happiness in the conduct OF NE
4 life OF ease is not for any man, nor for any god
We figure tie life Of the gods a sublime sa mess.
"carnestness OF Infinite Battle against Infinite
labor" Our highest religion is named the Nor-
ship Of Sorrow Mans umhappiness comes Of ms
greatness Ii IS because there is an Infinite IN hlm,
which with all ms cunning he cannot quite bury
under the Finite Always there is black spot III
our s,lusline tic shadow OF ourselves" Bat there
is in man soucthinG b CHER than love Of Happiness.
lie can do without happiness, and instead thereof
find bcssclues..' Il was to preach this Higher that
sqges and martyrs, the poet ana the priest IN all
fines have spoken and suffered. Through life ana
through death t!.cy have borne testimony OIL 'He
Godiil.e in man, and of the strength ana freedom
which it InIagts. d" Love not pleasure; love Coz
This is the Everlasting Yea wherein al contradlc-
ton is solved; wherein whose walks aud works, IT.
j. well with him."
The destiny % man, moreover as taught 10y MI
CARLYLE, is to be ;ilEiied not in spccui"t'on' "ut I'D
work. He who has found his work ia, a iue-po:-
roro mud en-, as, for no other blessclucss. Labor
i. life From the nmost heart OF the worker rises
flo s,cr,6 celestial hfc-egs"ucc I-cathcd INFO him
T., Almighty God, and awakcns him to all noble
ucss TO oil knowledge soon as work huy begins
Nature herself accrodis the knowledge that VIII
hold GOOD i'm voI,.rr Properly there is no other
knowledge but that Which comes from work. The
resi- is vet mere hypothesis "a thing 10 he SgcHed
Of in schools a thing floating IN the clouds, IN end
less logic worthless al we Try j. and fix it, Doubt
OF whatever kind can be ended by action alone All
true work is sacred. in all true work, were IL bat
trle h.ud-lalor there is something Of diy!neAess
The WAGES of every noble work yet lie in Heaven OF
else nowhere No he.oic aim ard life purpose Is TO
have q life OF pomp and ease and be Whist men call
happv Noblencss did ever lie IN valiant suffering
for others not i'm s;oihful making others suffer for
us Tho cl,c! g men IL he who stands IN the van
Of men frouti..c iac peril which irghtens back all
others; which, il il be not yanqnshed Will dcyour
the others Every noble crown Is, and On Earth
viii forever De, a crown Of thorns."
The hatred of profession, quachery, and rEtrnia-
fulness i'm any department Of life may be regarded
as the pivotal ar.ice-thc condition of "a stand
incoYfaug church, tie eyangcl Of Carlyle. Tie
barrcnest Of all moras is the scntiuentalist. pc
s,uting perpetual lesson of despair and type OF
bcd-rid yglctuiinaJian impotence" Seutmcntaii,m
is t,ylu-sister TO Can't, if not one and the Same
with it. And Cant is the very Quintesscnce OF the
devil. a doublc-dished lie, the second power of q
lie. from which come ali falsehocds, imbeclitics,
denominations. The lmpostor is false and odious,