Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-04-22

So-many pages Of pure 'gush" have been
written on Carlyle since his death that it is
really quite relief to turn to such an essay
as that which Henry james, the venerable
metaphysician, contributes to the April At
ldntic The real truth probably lies some
occupied by Mr. James and that by the eu-
logists Of Carlyle and in the meantime,
since he was unquestionably one of the great
est figures of tho nineteenth century and
pretty much everything concerning him is Of
value, We give q brief summary of the lead
ing points dwelt upon by Mr. James He
starts off with the announcement that what
he has to say Of Carlyle will tend ITO lower
the estimation many persons have formed OF
Carlyle as Il man of ideas" lie was not, he
thinks, philosophers ut all, ''but only and con-
summately man of genius; and his NOR
al qualities were almost sure finally 10 dis
appoint ones admiration" Pity is the high
est style of intercourse he allowed himself
with his kind. He compassionated all his
friends in the measure Of his affection for
them. Poor John Sterling" he used al
ways to say, ''poor John Mill, poor Frederic
Maurice, poor little Browning, poor little
Lewes," and So on as if the temple OF his
friendship were u hospital, aud all IFS in
mates scrofulpus or paralytlc. Mr.. James
continues:
CARLYLE had very much Of the narrowness,
intellectual and moral, which one might
expect to find in descendant of the old
Covenanting stock
But Il genuine pity for man as sinner and
sufferer underlay all his concrete Judgments,
and no thought of unkindness ever entered
his bosom except for people who believed in
Gods undiminished presence and power in
human affairs, and were therefore full of hope
in our social future. \ moral reformer like
Louis Blanc or Robert Dale Owen, politi-
cal relormer like Golden or Mr. Bright or
a dietetic reformer like the late MIR. Greaves
or our own Mr. Alcutt, was sure to proIohe
his most acrid intellectual antlpathy.
'One never practically surmounts his own
idea of the divine name, says Mr.. James,
.'and CARLYLE iuheriting and cherishing fOr
its picturesque capabilities rude Covenant
ing conception, found Mahnmct, William
the Conqueror, John Knox, Frederic the
Second of Prussia, Goethe. men after Gods
own heart, and coolly told you that NJ man
in history was ever unsuccessful who dcserv
ed to be otherwise" Mr.. James declares
that Carlyle was without any sense OF
unirersdl providence in human affairs that
he never had Il glimpse of any distinciivelS
divine ends in human Hature, but only III
the more or less conflicting persons of that
nature; and therefore he Condemns his iii
iluence.
Mr. James gives some extracts from his
diary which are lively enough reading. US
witness the following;
II heard CARLYLE, last night maintain hts
habitual thesis against Mr. TennysOn, IN the
presence of Mr. MOxon and one or two 9th
or persons Carlyle rode very high horse
indeed, being inspired to mount and lavishly
ply the spur by Mr.. Tennyson, Tor whom lie
has the liveliest regard; and ii WIS not l1us
before William the Conqucrer and Oliver
Cromwell were trOttcd out OF thor mouidy
cerements. TO affront Sir Robert Peel and
the Irish viceroy, whose name escapes mo
Nothing Carlyle over and over again said
and sung nothing will ever pry England
out of the slough she is in, but 10 stop look
ing at Manchester as heavens gate. and
| free-tra(le rs the everlasting Gods law man Is
bound to keep holy. The human stomach,
admit, is memorable necessity, which Will
! not allow itself, moreover, 10 lie long neg
! ectcd aIId political economy no doubt has
| lis own right to be heard among all our mul
tifarious jargons. But | tell YOU the stom-
ach is not the supreme necessity our potato
evancelists make it, nor is political economy
any tOlerable substitute for the eternal vcrac-
| tiles To think of our head men believln
| the stomach to be the man, and legislatln
| for the stomach, and compellin' this old Eng
| land into the downright vassaiase OF the
| Ia
rule England, the England once ruled by
| Oliver Cromwell No wonder the impudcui
kuaye OConnell takes them by the beard,
| shakes his big fist III their faces, does his own
dirty will, in fact with England, altogether
| on. fer Il dry gf Duke Wtiliam again.
In vain his fellow Arcadian protests that
England was no longer the England of Duke
| William nor even of Oliver Cromwell, but a
totally new England, with self consciousness
all new and unlike theirs; Carlyle only
chanted or carted the more Justify his incylt
able dingdouc Oh, fOl : day ci Duke WI
liam again
Tired out at last, the long suffering poet
cried. 4 suppose YOU could like your Duke
I William back, 10 cut of some twelve hun
dred Cambridge shire gentleman's legs, and
leave their owners squat upon the gIound.
that they mightn't he able any longer To bear
arms agniust him = All" shritkcd out the
| remorseless bagpipes, IN perfect cuiic oi dc
| light 10 finds its supreme blast thus unwarilN
| invoked, ,-'ah that ,caS no doubt u very sad
thing for the duke 10 do hut somehow he
conceived he had N right 10 du II m! upon
The whole he had - Let me tell your Ici'iru-
ing hero one thing, then replie.i his rts'-
tical-mindel friend, ami that II tlat lac hat
better steer clear Of my precincts. 81 he wlli
feel NV knife in his suls very soon. Il whs