The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-12-13
Our MInistering Angels.


Our Ministering Angels.
In the North american RerieW for Deeem-
Der there is a paper by Gail Hamilton
Miss Dodge, that Is worthy something
more than casual notice. 1t concerns the
relation of husband and wife, and is prompt
ed by, and treats almost exclusively indeed
of the home-lifs of the famous though not
truly great philosopher-Thomas Carlyle.
1t was the good fortune of this profound
thinker, who even in the first vigor of man
hood displayed the splendid qualities Of
mind which afterwards made him the
foremost man Of letters in all England, to
win the regard of one of the sweetest women
whose smilesever softened the obdurate heart
of man This was Jane Welsh, a lady bred
and born She had been aIdently attached
in her girIhood TO Edwin Irving man in
everyway worthy of her, and whose love for
her equalled hers for him, but who, because
of foolish engagement to marry lady in
no way fitted to become his wife, but which
he, nevertheless, felt himself bound to
keep, was fam TO sacrifice his love on the
altar of duty. 1t was Irving who first in
troduced Carlyle to Jane Welsh, and al
though she was at FIRST inconsolabIe at the
loss Of her lover, she could not but feel the
charm of CarIyles personality, the influence
of his towering intellect, and the inspiration
of his lofty ideas. She did not love him,
nor pretend to, but he wooed her with
consnmmate skill, and she finally yielded
to his persuasion and became his wife.
Carlyle as doubtless many of Cur readers
know, came from the peasant class. His
family were poor and lacking in polite ac-
compliments, though they possessed what
he himself has called their rugged sterling
qualities, while she, on the other hand was
accustomed to the comforts, if not the iuxu-
ries. OF life. and the Establishments Of society.
There is evidence in herletters- now strangely
given TO the world-and in the personal tes-
timony of Froude, the historian, that she
ardently desired and strove tobe true help
mate to her husband Nor is there any
doubt that she possessed the qualities of
mind and the graces Of conversation that
would have made hera delightful companion
for the sagest and most accomplished of
men, Yet the story of her life revealed by
recent publication shows that she was from
the first made the victim of CariyIe's cold,
selfish, and sordid ambition. She was to
him, in the words Of Tennygon, only
Something better Than dog,
A little dearer than his horse
He made of her household drudge, and
did not think ii worth his while even to pay
her the compliments that are usually be
slowed upon clever cook or a faithful
housemaid In the obstinacy of his nature
hesHithdrew himself from the world foi
seven years, and, immured in q miserable
lonely Scotch cottage, forced her to wear
her life ont, as Gail Hamilton says, on {
desolate bill top, milking the COWS and
securing the floors of man who seldom
spoke TO her, and there lived not a soul II
speak to within fifteen miles, 1t was as i
this rude and rugged man had planted hi
heavy heel on The sweetest and most fragil
! violet Of the year, and this woman, who wa
all loneliness. submitted meekly with Chris
tian resignation, though her heart, as sh
said Herself, was saddened beyond her powe
to mend it, It was Of her that Leigh Hun
wrote these beautiful lines, that will live a
long as song is priced:
Z Jennie kissed me when we met.
f Jumping from the chair she sat in;
Time you thief. WHO love TO get
Sweets into your list, put that in
e Say I'm weary. say Pm sad,
/. Say that health and wealth haze missed me;
u Say I'm lonely, dull-bst add
d Jennie kissed me"
y The time came when Carlyle realized th
h cruel neglect Of which he had been guilt,
r bpt 1t nps notuntil Death had stricken dow
If his l9yias and upprized wife He suffere
i then the agonies of remorse, and there cam
ie for him day of judgment when lie coul
It find in his heart no desire to Justify himsel
g There are no carlyles in America, to /
sure, but there are lots of husbands VII
$ show themselves as indifferent, as careles
is and as negleciful of their wives as he. Thel
"A are men to whom the word wife mcar