The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-10-26

looked on "a tho srundcst physical discovery
over undo by man; and as long ms philosophers
woro content. Ike kcpler. to ind out facts
without building theories on thom TO dispense
with God. no had only good to say OF them.
Science. however. In these latter days was
stepping beyond Its proper province. like the
young Titans trying TO take heaven by storm.
lTo likcd III men like Humboldt. Ia Place. or
the author Of the vcetIges.' He refused Oar.
wins transmutation OF species as improved |:
he fought against II. though I could zoe he
dreaded that 1t might turn out true. II man.
ns explained by science. was no more than q
developed animal. and conscience and Intellect
but developments Of tho functions OF an mails
then God and religion were no moro than In
fcrences. and differences which might he law
fully disputed. That the era ndest achievements
OF human nature had sprung out Of beliefs
which might BIO mere illusions. Carlyle could
not admit That intellect and moral sense
should have been put into him by q BEING
which had mono Of It's own VIVA distinctly not
conceivable TO him. He did not, indecd
believe In historical Christianity. Ho did not
belicve that tho facts alleged In the Apostles
Creed had over really happened. Tho resur-
roction OF Christ wis to him only . symbol Of
spiritual truth As Christ roso from the doad.
SO were We 10 rise from the death Of ain to the
life Of Righteousness. Not that Christ had
actually died and had risen again. He was
only bttisred 10 have died and Lc,irred 10 have
risen In an ngo when lexeRd WINS history. when
storios wore accepted rs true from their beau
or thoir signiilcapca'
These aro deeply Interesting disciosurss and
undoubtedly imam now living II 80 COM
petcnt us Mr.. Froudo to give auricular testi-
mony respecting Carlyls's pivotal convictions.
Nevertheless tho reader will desire to 500 his
evidence confirmed from Carlyio's own mouth.
We find such confirmation in tho following OK
tracts from his journal. with which We must
take lsare OF this biography: The last stage
VI lifes Journey is necessarily dark sad and
carried on under steadily Increasing difIlcul-
tics. Wo are alone: all our loved onos and
cheering fellow pilgrims gone. y No well
come shine OF q human cottage with It's hoapit-
able candle now nlight for us In those waste
soltudes. Our eyes. II we have any light rest
only OH tho eternal stars. Thus we staggcr on.
impcdlrncuts increasing. force dimin is!ing. till
at length there 10 equality between the terms
and We do all infallibly AEI,rS. SO it has been
from the beginning; IL will be to tho on l.
for ever n mystery and miracle before which
human intellect fails dioa,b. DO we reach those
sdTs, then? Do we sink in those swamps amid
the dance of dying dreamsp Is tho threshold
we stop over but the lr.i,,k in that instance and
our home thenccforth an Infinite Inane' God
our Eternal Maker. alone knows. and IL shall DO
rs He wills. not rs wo would. His mercy DO
upon us!' In another place We read The
fast-increasing flood Of atheism, on me takes no
hcld-docs not cvon wet tho solos OF my
feet. totally dlsbclicve it: despise as
vel! rs abhor it; nor dread that /. over can pre-
vail as Il doom OF tho sons of men" Yet he
says elsewhere. it is certain we have in these
two centuries greatly improved in our geolo-
giles. In our notions of tho early history of man.
Have got rid Of Moses. In fact. which surely
was no very sublime achievement either. l
often think. however. It is pretty much all that
science in this age has done or is doing.
Nobody need argue with these people tho Ma
teriatists and the Agn ostics or can with tho
least effect Logic never will decide the
matter. or will decide itsoem to decide II
their way. Ilo who traces nothing Of
God In his own soul will ncvor find God
in tho world OF mattcr-mere Greetings
Of force there. OF iron regulation. of universal
death and mcrciless indinerency. Nothing but
n dead steam engine there. 1t is in the soul OF
man. when reverence. love intelligence. mag
have been deyolored there that the
H'y',est can disclose itself face to face in sun
splendor. independent of all Gu vils and jar .on-
inSs. There. OF a surety. and nowhere else
And Ii not that the real court for such a cause?
= wish had strength to cucdate and
write down intelicibly to my fellow creatures
what my outline OF belief about God essentially
is. 1t might DO useful to a poor protoplasm
all seemingly determined on those
poor terms to try Atheism for u whie They
will have to return from that. / can tell them or
30 down altogether into the abyss. He
that doubts whether his sense Of right and
wrong Is revelation from the Most High. /
would recommend him to keep silence. rather
to do silently. with more and moro OF pious
what said sense dictates TO him as
right. Day by day in this manner will he do
better land also see more clearly whore tho
sanction of his doiIgis aud whence derived. BY
pious. heroic climbing OF your own not by ar
guins with your poor neighbors. wandering to
right and left. do you al length reach tho sane
tuary-;he victorious summit-aId SEQ with
your own eyes" NJ w.. ii.
Fir,y Years Observation of aIcu and Eycut.
1t is not long since Gen. Townsend re-
many unfamiliar incidents connected
with the late civil war. and now tho Messrs
Hcribner Lave published under the above title
Tho rccollcctons OF Gen. l.. ID. kEYEs. This
book was suggested. we are told. By tho au-
thorS wish TO contribute some information
bearing on tho controversy touching the rc-
sponsibihty for the failure to roGnforce Fort
sumter; but the reader has no reason to
regret that what was intended for Il letter
gradually grew into n volume which, be- |
sides casting many a side light on tho
history Of the tines. will by its store OF
|rcsh and often piquant anecdotes afford |
him some pleasant hours Tho earlier chap
srs are devoted to Il portrayal of tho character |
and opinions OF Gen. Scott, which the author |
had exceptionally good opportunities for study |
Ing. and it may be objected that this topic is |
discussed at excessive length. since Scott is re-
sarded with much less livoly interest by the |
present generation than by the survivors of tho |
last. 1t may also be thought that tho book |
would have been improved by moro method |
cai arrangement. and by judicious curb |
ing Of tho authors propensity to use big |
words and to display tho range OF his |
reading. Neither Is it quito obvious |
Why the narrative should be loaded with tho |
names Of so many OF the authors aclua!nt- |
'ncos in private Ito. who arc doubt less es- |
Unable persons from local point of view. but !
With whom tho general rcnlcr is not in the |
cast concerned TO pint tho names of such |
people in n work protesting to hnvo either a |
A or tart ,it;u 81 il