The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-01
CARLYLE AND HIS WIFE.
Two New Letters Containing Interesting
Personal Details.

Two New Letters Containing Interesting
Personal Details.
The following letters, now first published,
were addressed by Carlyle and his wife to the
same gentleman, He had written to Carlyle for
particulars of the Literary fund" to which an
old relative of his (of Greenock) wished to leave
a legacy Mr. Earle by this time getting on
in the world, and was intimate terms with
the family, but from his first arrival in London
they had been very kind to him
CHELSEA, June 25, 1847.
my Dear Sir-Beyond doubt there is So
ciety popularity known as that of the Literary
Fund which meets yearly in Freemasons' Tav
ern, and dimes and delivers speeches, and 1 be-
lieve does, in fact, dole out some charitable sus
tentatiOn to certain invaded sons of Grub
street, though think it has not yet been known
to assist any man of real eminence, or, indeed,
to act ortherwse than as kind of literary
branch OF the pauper system. forget whether
l was ever asked, but certainly never at
tended and probably never shall. at any of their
meetings, and being subscriber either, my
knowledge of their affairs is pretty much like
your own. However, have written off this
moment to ascertain what the correct address of
their secretary is, and the instant get answer
you shall have it, your lawyer friend will then
be able, if the project is persisted in to cor
respond with this official person till he be in all
ways sufficiently instructed.
''As to this benevolent old gentleman-whose
project really does him honor in ones mind-I
confess | could wish him some surer method of
doing spiritual benefit to his fellow creatures
than this, so far as l know it, promises to be!
The tendency of all manner of prurient block
heads to throw themselves into literature at
present, especially into polite literature and
bellies lettres instead of into clerking, tailor
ing, shoemaking, at lowest into silence is really
frightful, and leads, by natural law, thro use
less, explosive and exploded existence, down to
collapse and death of beggary; which beggary
any soul that will relieve is certainly doing
act of pity land perhaps of real mercyl but is
/ moi n certainly at all forwarding
real spiritual interest of his countrymen in these
ages. / have suspicion that with tenth part
of our present reading and writing, if itwere well
done, we might have chance to be hundred
or perhaps thousand times wiser people!
However, our good old gentleman shall have the
secretary's name and address, and then, after
consideration, choose for himself.
did he never think of founding a really good
| library in Greenock and leaving small endow
| ment to the schoofmaster for circulating the
books among all the inhabitants! In we'll
chosen books lies, more than anywhere else, all
the wisdom that man yet has; as in illchosen
books lies most fagrantly of ALL whatsoever is
choicest and most pernicious in his folly To
get library well chosen (chosen by men of in
sight and probity) in any town might require
much consideration in a charitable testator; but
by consideration it might be approximately done,
and DONE this were the real building of a kirk
in these times! Yours always, truly,
CART.VJE