Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-06
UAhAtLE'h kAAhe FhfLAsO.
Pfkfs
A Hitherto unpublished Letter
from the sage OF Chelsea.
London Daily News. Dec. 81.

The following letter Of Thomas
Csrlyle's is published for the first time.
1t was written about eight months
after he turned his back upon the
church, and during the darkest hour
OF that period Of gloom, solitude and
struggle. dating from the beginning If
1915 and lasting into 1882, aud whien
is so'ireely and directly portrayed ia
the 18th, 9th and OH chapters OF the
Second Book OF "5artor Resartus.r .
Johnstone, his correspondent, was.
also & native Of Ecclefechan, and a
young man OF considerable attain
ments and literary promise. He was G
tutor in early lite, and 10 that capacity
had travelled a good deal In foreign
parts. de ultimately settled down in
HaddIngton as a teacher, where he
died while still a young man. He was
a correspondent also Of Gilbert Burns,
brother Of the poet. Ills correspon-
dence with Carlyle extended over
several years. There are some twenty
eight letters in all.
KIRKcALDY, June 26, 1915
DEAR JoHNsroNE:-It is about
three weeks since, after entering my
chamber on a Sunday evening, wearied
with the toll and sick with the inenty
OF an excursion to Edinburgh, ny
eyes were IejOiced with a sight Of
your letter. | must not exchange the
sentiments with which you commence;
the partlality Of friendship, and the
modesty Of him who feels it, may be-
come excessive without ceasing to be
ami bic. | have little genius for the
complimentary, aud, therefore, shall
not say in what esteem | hold your
Communication -leti it be sufficient to
observe that the emotions they awaken
are among the happiest OF my lite, that
you write SO seldom is the very subject
of complaint.
MY journey to Edinburgh, you have
learned, was productive Of little en-
jOyment. How should it, indeed
Most Of my acquaintance are looking
cut for kinks; some By diligent peda
gogy, accompanied by e firm belief 10
excellence Of certain country gentle
men, and others, by sssiduously dane
ing attendance upon the leading
clergymen OF our venerable establish
ment This is as it should be; but |
have no part or lot in the matter. The
rest speak Of the st. Ann street build
ings, the Brownie Of Bodsbeck,r
other tales by James Hogg, and things
Of that stamp. Now, the St. Ann
street buildings concern only som,
feusrs Of the extended royalty; and as
for the Brownie of Bodsbeck," with
other tales by James Hogg, they seem
10 have been written under the iD1u.
snce OF a liquor more potent than that
Of the Pierian spring. SO there needs
not be much said about them, If
go TO the booksellers shop | find
polemieal Sciolists and pathetic
beaux esprits. And when l walk
alopg the streets | SEQ fair women,
whom it we're folly to think Of for 8
moment, aud Tops (dandies as they are
called in current slang), shaped like
an hour glaHs-ereatures whose life
and death, as Crispen pithily observes.
~ esteem Of equal importance, and
decline to speak OF either" 1t would
be ridiculous to fret at this. Being q
person Of habits-I fear somewhat
auamalous-belongin to no proies
sion, and waiting, therefore. on no
idol Of the tribe, or rather fashionable
one, to bow down before, it is but
little sympathy l can look for.
am far from laughing atyour agri
cultural studies, nor is it wonderful
that you dislike teaching-a lover OF
it is rare. No ~trade-but why do |
talk2 Discomfort is the most vulgar
OF all feelings. II is utterly useless,
moreover, more than useless. Let u
cultivate our minds, and await thu
issue calmly, whatever it may be. The
honest Hibernian had nothing to sup
port himself, his wife and children
nothing but these four bones. Yet
be did not mourn nor despair.
Your project OF q tour to the Cum
berland Lakes meets my mind ex
aetly. Get matters arranged, and ]
hall gladly accompany you to Kes
sick or Ulleswater, or wheresoeyer
you please. Examine some map Of
the country Il have beside me .
Guide book of these parts, by one
'nhn Nuisman, Esq, but it is a friyo
lous book. Cannot you persuade
Mitchell TO 30 with us2 A few day.
will do It all. Tell him we mar 70 by
sea to Whitehaven if it please us
then take a peep at the desolate Loeb
of Emerdale, and across the hills h
Buttermere, where we shall obtain a
glimpse Of the beauty" if there be
any such. Next, we can penetrate
through Sabsgsrth. afterWard emerge
from the jaws Of BorroWdsle, coast
the western shore Of Derwentyater.
and ascend the top Of Skiddaw OF
exaaIine'the uniathomable tarn which
rests upon the shoulder Of Saddle.
back We shall see Scrawfell and
Helvellyn and ScAle6ne and Sourmilk
hue and others too tedious to men
tion. La fine, it may improve us ali
both body aud mind. You must en-
deavor to have the route marked out
before this night Eve weeks. On
Saturday, the LIST OF August, IL all
goes we'll, | hope to see you at Main.
hill (the small farm occupied BY Car
lyle,s father, two miles northwest Of
Ecclefechan). You must be there
ANYWAY II 1t be in your power.
The last book worth mentioning
which | have perused, was Stewart
Preliminary Dissertation"-for Inc
second time. The longer | study the
: works of this philosopher, the more
. become convinced Of two thinRs-arst
that in perSpicacity and compreben
sion OF understanding be Yields "a
several; but, secondly, that in taste.
variety OF requirement. and what Is Of
more importance, in moral dignity al
mind, ne has no rival that | know-of
Every liberal opinion has at eli times
found IN him a jealous advocate.
I W hen he has come before the public
J he has borne himself with a carriage
SO meek, yet so commanding, and now.
, when, with unabating ardor, he Is re.
tired 10 devote the last remnant Of nj.
wen spent life 10 the great cause N
! human Improvement, his attitude 4
. SO p%ensively sublime, | regard him
? with q reverence which | scarcely feel
Tor any other living nerson H.