Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-02-23

| hketcneS OIL Carlyle
| When great man dies DoWauays and leave
the world, as the London Times says, "dulle
aud colder and darker for his having fadet
away, the columns of the daily press immedi,
ately supply mass of Information about hin
sufficient for a good siz:d volume OF biography
Hundreds OF obituary articles 90 Thomas Car.
lyle have appeared wherever the rglish lao
guege is spokeo, and many Continental news
papers. especial in Germany and France, also
mention 10 terms of respect and veneration the
Scottish philosopher who. laden with years, has
at length passed into wat he himself called
the eternal silence. HIS character, his IS, lngs,
bis lGHuence 90 the Worlo in which be lived for
e logger ptrled than is the usual allotment of
man-alI have bad ample justice done to them,
and 1t may be interesting 0 Gull from the news.
papers some OF the paragraphs which bring
him beture Us with most clearness and DOW
er The humble orgin Of the great man is we'll
! known to ail He uImself has told how, when
be was visited by Carlisle, the antiquarian, the
meeting took place 10 q field where be and his
father were busily plougbiug, Ii is not 50
eeuerally knowo, however, that the family
! trom which he sprung possessed vsss eststes
IL OuAlUc dl luc llIlG VI luS COQ-
quest, and that be was at one time collecting
materials for its history. Ole section of the
| family, 1t appears, emigrated across the border
to Dupfries and ross to wealth and power,
even iGtermarrjing with the royal family of
Scotladd aud fVuodiog The Castle Of L. T hor.
void, thu ruins OF which are still standing.
The best skctoh OF the philosopher Mt home is
to be foutd 10 the London Daily Naws. 1T
was generally ia the evening" says the writer,
that MIR. Carlyle was surrCuuded by his
iIlends. lea was the usual preliminary, aud
after it the phllos npher-esptc c:ay in later
years-Was accustomed TO take uis seat, half
recliring, on the flour, go that the bowl Of bis
long clay pipe might reach the 0elghborhoo of
the fire. place sod lis tunes 90 up The cbnl oey.
rbeu he would pour out his wonderful talk which
seemed to be Ut immeasursble range sud rich.
ness. l. msttered little what suffice: VS. sug.
gested. The Russian, the Italsl. the Freroh.
man or American who happened to be his
guest, was SUITE TO fad that here was oue who
could eiVs them details about the history aud
literature OF their several countries which they
had never heard before. Tho present writer
has koowu him to ia k about birds until one
would hsva said he must have passed his life
10 the study OF ornithclcgy, until the x: time
no heard him disoyu:spg about tea or coffee,
vi Tul 40 vi uJ iuc-oiuUol H.
would become aware that be was 10 the presence
of one who had explor:d nearly cVeiS part Of
the world ho lived 10 to the furthest pciat.
Not less impressive than the matter was
the manuer Of his wonderful talk Sometimes
his tacs would Il INC with the wrath or earnest
ness which Lis subject ktndled, and his listener
| shrank as before gathering storm; but it might
bs that some dro aspect of che case would sud,
deolY os ch his ~, and the Storm would burst
IN thuLd dtrcus but GOT uumusicsl laughter: or
still oftener, some delicate or tender assoois-
tion would surpriss his stormy path, and 10
moment bis voice would siok to lhe sweetness of
luLe. The tobacco pipe always seemed to be
sign of the Inward WORKINGS of the sublime
tsiker; ii would send out thick clouds, or quiet
blus curls, as it's masters story or argument
grew Vehement CT gentle; but it was sure to 20
out at near'y every punctuation of his long
sentences, aud to have to be relighted many
times in the cur 10 of the evening. Sometimes
in The sumner twilight be would sit With
fellow smoker 10 bis garden. and it might
be on such occasions there would be long medi-
ts!ve pauses-halt hours or more of absolute
sience-for whenever Mr. Carlyle sat still
uodsr the open ks bis mind inclined to silercs.
Another paragraph, also apparently by one
who knew him, appears in the st. James Ca
tltc.- u0 cAtlaUEuiuHEy vi C1Q6
versstioD and manner is known only to a few.
He had stately naive courtesy, dignity and
consideration for the tteiugs of others, which,
| Notwithstanding some small desec:s of temper.
must have struck every one who approached
him. He was not at his best when he was al
lowed to have oil the conversation to himself,
for 10 such cases he talked las was nstural) too
much like bis books; but when he was 10 COM
psuy where he was obliged to give and take be
was the most charming of !.lkers. His aush
WIS freedom aud cordially i,selt. His bunor
was at once so powerful and so subtle that it
| seemCd to exhaust the matters 90 which it
touched, His shrewdDess. especially 10 udg
log of character from small indiostous. was ex
traordnary. He oLcs denouuc.d as scout =
drsl man of business who at the time was 10
the best rcpute, aad who shortly afterwsrd
turued out to deserve all that had been said
against him. How" be vas asked, did you
6nd bin ous, MIR. CarIyls?' "Ol." said he,
saw rogu, 10 the twist of the falls, bip OF
him as be went out at the door," He was once
asked what be thought of new acqlsintarc
whom be had seen for few minutes. Il
should call him Rio~y sort of man.