The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-08-22
Some Truths about Carlyle.

llomplo Ddr.
The letters of Carlyle printed by Mrs. Proc
ter are full of gush and affection for Mr.. and
Mrs. Basil Montague, and, as an eminent writ
or has remarked, might have been written by
Sir Pertinax McSycophant. Mrs. Proctor
seems to fear that the whole reading world
will believe the malignant lies" Of Mr. Thom-
as Carlyle. The reading world will do moth
ing of the kind. Even il the paltry charges
that he brings against his former benefactors
were true, nobody will deny that he ought to
have been the last man to utter them. How
different was DR.. Johnson's behavior to his
early friends! "Call dog Hervey, and 1
shall love him." he said; and when someone
observed to him, ''You always preserved re-
spect for Warburton?" the answer was, eyes
and justly; when as yet 1 was in no favor with
the world he spoke we'll of me, and hope 1t
may never forget the obligation
The lion promoted from caravan to the 70
illogical Gardens naturally looks with contempt
on his former surroundings. So we cannot
help thinking that thec cause Of Carlyle's out
break was that he imagined himself to have
been the same great man in 1924 that he was
in 1860. When he was promoted to Lady Ash
burton's establishment he fanced that his
presence had conferred too great an honor on
the menagerie in Bedford square.
Be that as it may, every honest man will
agree with Mrs. Proctor when she writes
''There is something shameful in the specta-
Gle of the Successful literary man sitting down
deliberately to vilify the memory of those who
smiled npon him and helped him when he was
obscure and friendless. He should beware how
he strikes who strikes with dead hand"
1t is a sore trial to the friends Of Carlyle to
read such charge as this, and to be unable to
say that it is untrue.
Did Carlyle know the sad history of Charles
and Mary Lamb? We doubt it, or surely In
his widest moods he never would have written
thus:
"Charles Lamb and his sister came daily
once or oftener; a very sorry pair of phenome-
ma. Insuperable proclivity to gin in poor old
Lamb. His talk contemptibly small, indicat-
ing wondrous ignorance and shallowness, even
when it was serious and good hammered, which
it seldom was, usually i'll hammered Ito a de-
gree), screwed into frosty artifciality; CHASTITY
make-believe of with fact, more like diluted
jocosity, humor or geniality."
Many readers Of these bitter words must have
felt as if they had received blow porsonaiIy,
The "frolic and gentle' Charles Lamb, the
friend and favorite OF everyone who knew him
to be treated in this fashion! Such an attack,
however, win do no harm to the memory Of
Charles Lamb, but it will inflict an indelible
stain on the reputation of Thomas Carlyle.
We will give the true story of Charles
Lambs existence from his biography. Mr..
Proctor writes:
"He had an insane sister, who, in a moment
Of uncomfortable madness had unconsciously
destroyed her own mother; and to protect and
save this sister-a gentlewoman, who had
watched like mother over his own infancy
the whole length Of his life was devoted. What
he endured through the space of nearly forty
years, from the incessant fear and frequent re-
currences of his sisters insanity can now only
be conjectured. In this constant and uncom-
planning endurance, and in his steady adher-
ence to great principle of conduct, his life
was heroic.
We read Of men giving up all their days to q
single object to religion, to vengeance, to some
overpowering. selfish wish; of daring acts done
to avert death or disgrace, or some expressing
misfortune. We read mythical tales OF friend
ship; but we do not recollect any instance in
which great object has been so unremitting-
ly carried out throughout whole life, in def
ance of a thousand difficulties and Of number
less temptations, straining the good resolution
to the utmost, except in the case Of our poor
clerk of the India House."
Charles Lamb had a far greater burden to
bear than Carlyle ever had, and yet how cheer
fully he bore it. Some men take great sorrow
not necessary accompaniment Of suffering.
The only harsh witticism we know Of Charles
Lambs was that he said, "Scotchmep ought to
suffer double punishment in the other world,
fire without birthstone" Perhaps he pro-
pounded this grim Jest to Carlyle, who natu-
rally considered it as diluted insanity" Then
"the proclivity to gin' is alluded to. Alasi poor
Charles had that one failing. He liked to hear
the chimes at midnight. But we infinitely
prefer Charles Lamb in his cups, looking sor-
rowfully at his legs, quantity exclaiming,
Charles Lamb! Charles Lamb! Is this the
temperance and soberness promised for thee by
thy godfathers at thy baptism?" to the merci-
less writer who has made such an onslaught on
one whose essays are still held in admiration
by thousands. The dear friend of Wordsworth
and Southey could never have been the miser-
able being caricatured by Carlyle