New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-06

called at his door and found him out. II was
cold, wintry day, such as is often seen in London
with frozen sleet on the ground. Mr.. Carlyle was
taking his accustomed walk. He kept horse which
he rode frequently and always groomed himself
The stable was on O piece OF waste ground, and
dOnkeys. cows and geese also lived there. Car.
lyle was little known by the people-not even by
those who lived near his house. He was as much re-.
cluse in London as in lonely Craigenputtock. Po,
more t an forty years he lived in one house and
few of his neiQhbors knew him except b.
sight. His life was singularly heroic
1t had one aim and was thoroughly sincers
His place in literature was fixed long ago. 1t IA
rather as the censor Of his age than as leader that
history will regard him. In this respect he was
true English Cato. During a long battle against
shams, he seemed continually to repeat the old CRY
of Scipio: "Detenda est CARTHAGE" England heard
him at last and his influence permeated every field
of thought and action. Lowell once said with
the gift of song Carlyle would have been the great
est of epic poets since Homer" But it may well
be doubted if the gift of song would
have made him poet, for Carlyle has hin.
self said at is one Of my constant regrets in
this generation that men to whom the gods have
given genius will insist in such an earnest time as
ours has grown IN bringing out their divine gift ia
the shape O. vers which now no man reads entirely
in earnest"
Grafton with .. very solemn admonitlOn When
Goldsmith died it was thought an unusual testlmo-
NAL that Sir Joshua Reynolds should cease for
single day to paint. Amid the mao pursuits and
gathering humdrum Of this iron age 1t surely were
no undeserved homage to the genius and work of
Thomas Carlyle should men and women cease for
one day to think of their bank accounts steam en-
gnes, spnnlng-jennles, printing presses and rail-
roads Well may they give ear TO the WISE and IN
this age, much needed words which he has uttered
during long, iustrOus and heroic life. When he
first saw the light of day Europe was infused with
the scepticsm want of faith. loose morals and social
deatbthrOes which at last eliminated IN the French
Revolution. When he reached manhood, and dur
ing his progress toward middle life. Great Britain
was subject 10 the perniclons influence when the
,lutiOn and the mysticism OF German philosophy
tanteism and funkeyhood had driven out Of the
hearts of men sense of the sacredness OF religion
and of the nobility and dignity OF human labor. On
the other, it had produced flow OF morbid and
diseased poetry, which had Lord Byron Tor ITS leader
and numbered IN his following Shelley, Keats and
Leigh Hunt mind like Carlyles was needed
His was q profound conviction OF the supremacy in
this world of justice. He believed that error and
wrong never yet prospered on Gods EARTH and that
truth and right do always prevail at last. Labor
to him was noble and even sacred-perennla, too,
in its nObeness and sacredness What he has said Of
all great men is true of him asOhe had TO prepare
the way tor the acceptance OF his teachings. But
he fought good fight anu he kept the faith he had
Grafton he has been the source or living spring
OF intellectual and moral power and has given
material aid TO all recent efforts for the advance
ment of social and political virtue. What he has
done stands in marked contrast with the namby-
pambyism and false standards OF taste Whlch pre-,
vailed the generations amid which he frst th0ugh1
and wrOte-whicb prevail to some extent, alas. even
now. But English literature IS nObler and manler
than when he first added to It's long list OF worthless
his own great name. Therein lies Carlyles exceed
ing great reward.