The Portland daily press., 1883-04-30


privately called him--name first due to her.
He enjoyed much, and with kind of chiv-
alrous silence and respect, her Scotch tunes
on the piano, most of which he knew already,
and their Burns or other accompaniment;
this was commonly enough the wind-up of
our evening; supper being ordered tuni-
formly 'porridge' of Scotch oatmeal, most
likely the piano, on some hint, would be
opened, and continue till the'porridge' came
"a tiny basin OF which Hunt always took,
ana ate with teaspoon, 10 sugar, and many
praises of the excellent frugal and noble "a
ticle. 1t seems TO me, in our long, dim
lighted, perfectly neat and quaint room,
these evening parties of three were alto,
gether human and beautiful; perhaps the
best anywhere had before or since! Allan
Cunningham occasionally walked down !;
pleasant enough TO talk with-though the
topic was sure to be Nithsdale (mainly Niths-
dale fun, and nothing else. Mrs. Austin,
Mrs. Butler, Darwin, Wedgwood, etc, etc.
(of this or shortly posterlor dates), l do not
mention. was busy; she still more hope
fully and gayly so; and In what is called
society or London interests for US, there
was no lack OF all which, these letters
accidental waits among such multitudes as
have carelessly persisted, are now the only
record"
In those busy days Mrs. Carlyle was
VISITED BY AN OLD FLAME,
of whom she writes to her husbands moth
er: 81 have just had call from an old re-
jected lover, who has been in India these 10
years; though he has come home with more
thousands of pounds than we are ever like
ly to have hundreds, or even scores, the
sight of him did not make me doubt the
wisdom of my preference. Indeed, con-
tinue quite content with my bargain; |
could wish him little less yellow, and a
little more peaceable; but that is all.
Carlyle's own story of the effect of the
burning of the manuscript of the ''Freneh
Revolution is too effective to be lost. lie
was on the point Of visit TO Scotland in
1882. when John Mill came to Cheque row
to confess what had happened. When he
went away at last, the very first words Car
lyle spoke to his wife were: well! Mill,
poor fellow, is very miserable; We must try
to keep from him how serious the loss Is TO
u.s. But writing So years after, he says of
the agony of those days; II was myself in
dreadful struggle with the burnt first vol
ume of French Revolution miserable ac-
cident which had befallen three months be-
fore this date; but which (haying persisted
to finish book /, vol. ?, before turning back
| had now first practically grappled with,
and found how near it bordered ON the abso
lutely insuperablel Certainly the impossi-
blest looking literary problem ever had !;
resembles swimming in an element nos of
water, but of quasi-vacuum,' said |, mourn
fully, almost desperately; by main force,
impossible, / ndr-and so had flung it all
by about this date, and, for four weeks, was
reading the trashiest heap of novels Marry
ats, etc. to hush down my mind, and, as
1t were, bury the disaster under ashes for a
time. About July l cautiously, gingerly,
stepped up to the affair again, and gradu-
ally got it done. How my darling behaved
under all this, with what herosm and what
love, ] have mentioned elsewhere, find
she renowned Scotland for this year, and
instead appointed her mother to come and
visit us here, which did take effect, as will
be seen"
John Sterling and the Sterling family
were intimate with the Carlyles in the year
1885 and thereabouts, and Sterling had be
come one of Carlyle's mostrventuresome
friends. To him Mrs. Carlyle writes con-
corning his
FAMOUS CRITICISM OF CARLYLE,
almost the best bit of criticism he ever
wrote: 'Far from being offended by your
dissertation on the 'Sartor,' / think il the
best that has been said or sung of him.
Even where your criticism does not quite
fall in with my humble views, still love
luC spun VI tItc IEltlSs TUT iuctdtCcy Ahl
loath to believe that have married pagan
but | approve entirely of the warmth with
which you warn your friend against the de-
fusion of burning pastilles before statue of
Jupiter, and such like extravagances.
suppose it is excessively heterodox. and in q
Catholic country should be burnt for it,
but TO you may safely confess that care
almost nothing about what man believes
in comparison with how he believes. If his
belief be correct, it is much the better for
himself; but its intensity, its efficacy, is the
ground on which love aud trust him.
Thus, you see, am capable of approaching
your fervor in behalf of the 80 articles, with
out being afflicted because my husband is
accused of contumacy against them.n
Her situation is rather strongly revealed
in this little bit of writing which dates at
the time Carlyle was finishing the rewriting
e st his 20 Fo e &C ns e sSd 81 lis %
this blessed day, and in week or 10 days
viii probably depart for Scotland. There
has been much solicitation on my mothers
part that / would go also, and get myself
pumped up into some sort of world-like ro-
tundity. But man nor woman lives not by
bread alone, nor warm milk, nor any of
these things; now that she is here, the most
that Dumfriesshire could do for me is al
ready done, and country air and country
AdiC NOUlQ NOQHtl
dizziness for me. A little exciting talk is
many times, for a person of my tempera-
ment, more advantageous TO bodily health
than either judieious physicking or nutri-
tious diet and good air. Besides, nobody
was ever less than / partaker in the curse
of the man who was made like unto a
wheel have no taste whatever for loco
motion, by earth, air or sea-"
While Carlyle was off in Scotland, she
begs him 70
REMEMBER THE OATMEAL,
sand. oh, for goodness sake, procure doZ-
en- of bacon hams" She also INDUCES In a
bit of home comfort, which she thought
their means would allow: son that day
came, saw and bought-a sofa! 1t Is my
own purchase, but you shall share the pos
session. Indeed, so soon as you set eyes on
it and behold its vastness, its simple great
ness, you will perceive that the thought of
you was actively at work In my choice. Ii
was neither dear nor cheap, but bargain
nevertheless, being secondhand, and so good
a secondhand one is not, should think,
often to be met. Oh, it is so soft! SO easy!
and one of us, or both, may sleep in it,
should occasion require-I mean for all
night. 1t will sell again at any time; it Is
so sufficient an article. With my velvet
gown / shall need no great outlay for Putz
this winter, so thought ] might fairly in
dulge ourselves in sofa at last"
She gives John Sterling brilliant descrip-
ton Of the kind of notoriety they were sub
ject to in 1887: zone great comfort, how
ever, under all affections, is that The
French Revolution is happily concluded; at
least it will be comfort when one Is dellv
cred from the tag-raggery of printers devils,
that at present drive one from pillar to post.
Quelle viel let no woman who values peace
of soul ever dream of marrying an author !
That is to say, if he is an honest one, who
makes a conscience of doing the thing he
pretends to do. But this observe to you in
confidence; should l state such sentiment
openly, might happen to get myself torn in
pieces by the host of my husbands lady ad-
mirers, who, already, suspect,
THINK NE TOO HAPPY
in not knowing my happiness. You cannot
fancy what way re is making with the fair
intelects here! There is Harriet Martineau
presents him with her ear trumpet with a
pretty, bushing air Of coquesry, which
would almost convince me out Of belief in
her IDENTIFY And Mrs. Pierce Butler bolts
in upon his studies, out of the atmosphere,
as it were, in riding habit, cap and whip,
(but no shadow of a horse, only a carriage,
the whip. I SUPPOSE being to whip the cusb-