New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-10-21
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
rARI.Y1.E.

scribncrs Sons. ~
Tn bringing toa close the biography OF Carisp'.
aud with IL the ample publication OF Journals IN"
s",,or. Of which he was appointed tho custodian,
A.. rrnudc undertakes TO defend himself against
Tho criticisms so vchcmcntly made upon his manner
nj alscharcing the functions of n literary executor
Ito does this In an "lntroductorv section, IT,
fcrxinp 10 the general subject of the duty oil oog
raphcr and TO Carlylc's own wishes WITH 'oSpo''
10 the writing of his life; and also IN two ch"p'o,'
of tho narrative proper, wherein no 'c''S' III '"
chronological place. the Incidents cohhecte" WIZ,
Carlylc's delivery TO him oil tho LIQUORS anu
Memorials of Mrs Carlyle. which have oeeh h'o'o
hotly resented by Carlylcs admirers 'han .nc
revelations in the Life itself. In Justice to Mr.
Fronde il ought to he said at the start that he
has done no more than lie had ample authority for
doing from the person most nearly concerned i'll
the mattcr-that is from Thomas Carlyle. Inc
nhilosonhcr was no doubt sincere when he wrote
In his journal in 1913: sTo have my life sur
viewed anu commented on by all men even wisely
IS no object with me, but rather tho opposite: now
much less to have it done unwsey' y but he became
aware that his wishes would not be respected ana
then he reouested Mr. Froude to charge himself
with the unpleasant task. And although Opinions
NAV differ as to the discretion of the Dlographer
in particular instances, there can be no question
that he ha unequivocal authority to do as he
Froudes theory of duty is the true one. "Whether,"
he saws. al estimate his (Carlyles) importance
tightly or wrongly he has played part which en-
titles every one TO demand a complete account OF
his character He has come forward as teacher OF
mankind. He has claimed TO speak with authority
and not as the Scribcs' He has denounced as
empty illusion the most favOrite convictions
of the age No concealment is permissi'
bic about man who could thus take on
himself the character of prophet, ana speak Oh IL
I'm so imperious tone" This is.the PLAN tru'h.
And If we find that the teacher OF mankind io"h'
no rest, no peace no happiness, no assurance III BIS
own teachings, that his own life was hdeous ana
selfish that he was curse to those who loved nun
hest that his philosophy led only to doubt and des-
pair that he shuddercd finally at the contemplation
of his own work. that he marched TO his grave Win
n cry OF hopeless distress and lett Dehhd MN
record of contempt and hatred and Misrepresentation
of nearly all the word-the biographer who has
lifted the curtain should be thanked rather than
blamed for the revelation. Mr.. froude does NOT
know what he has done; but for all that ne mas
done a good work. The Carlyle superstition EaS
received from him an irrcparable wound. The one
great merit for which the Chelsea philosopher has
been chiefly admired is that he penetrated all shams
md delusions. and fearlessly preached the naked
fruth But Mr. Froude uncOnSciously teaches Gar
lye's disciples that their master bad no higher cr-
teron of truth than other people that what ne DIS
tool for clairvovauce was often nothing but furious
rreiudice; and worst of ALL that from the last
expression of what he did believe to be truth he
shrank when it came to the point ParadoXicai rs
II may seem there is one particular IN when Oar-
lyle is represented by Mr. Froude as the prince OF
ehams One of the greatest needs of the world, he
held was an EXODUS out of lloundsdtch that
is on, of belief in Christianity. lie knew says
MIR Frou,le who seems to be entirely incapable of
apprchending the difference between conjecture ana
know LEDGE. "that since science had male Known
10 ms the real relation between this globe OF ours
md the stupcndous universe, no man whose mlnd
,nJ heart were sound could any longer sincerely be-
ieve in the Christian creed But he found II
nnnpussiblet TO speak plainlyon this mnmentous sub
feet because If the old faith were east ont ther"
was nothing tc take its place bnt the Gospel oi Prog
tess. which was still alspi than historical Christian.
nv. Ne wns often disposed therefore to- hope That
what hp regarded ~ fasphuol would last until
Somehow the world got ieil, lui truth Tie lad
pftIannd hatred vt scientific atheism, aud miih
~ the omnpuionpe 81 ,,ol The NeiN esspnro at BE
philosophy ul hstutt Nas ile dite"t intervention
~ tho Almighty "a punish tho sihs ~ ha'nhs'
eXet lao was rerrleAut hy tho indifference VITA
which tho hHprnnn rowar was allowing it, "a st-
enoe to he ohson,el, onoe said To him. not long
before his death that could only believe IA Nod
which did something. With u cry OF pain which
shall never forget lac said lie does thing"
With regard L. the publication OF the memorials
of Mrs CARLYLE We have always thought that MI
Troude had no choice but To do as lie has done ii
was obviously Cailyles wish that the Ms. which he
prepared for the press should bc printed aud MI
froude has already explained that the painful dis
closure assumed IN the philosophers eyes something
of the nature Of an act of at0nemcnt In the pres
ent volume tine facts of the trust narrated with
narfeul1rs which to pmplla-
Size Caryle's wishes, and thereby to make Nh
froude's vindcatiOn more complete. The biosra-
pher moreover presents some outside considerations
which ought to have weight He reminds MS that
Mrs. Carlyle was busy and not at all reticent
correspondent; and that there probably existed
many other descriptions of the domestic skeleton
besides the which Carlyle prepared for public
view Ii Mr.. Froude had suppressed the Memorials,
he would have dispeased everybody and accom-
pshed no practical object. 1t is much to he wished
that the secrets of husband ard wife might he held
sacred: but if they must be shouted IN the public
squares it Is better that the legitimate proprietor
should take the responsibility of the exposure than
that the enterprise should be left to strangers
Fortunately there is not much more 10 reveal after
the publication of the Memorials. Mr.. FrOudes
new volume makes CaTlyles rcmorse very plain,
and makes plain also the substantial reasons for It,
Doubtless Mrs Carlyle, as the biographer says
chad tongue, when she was angry, Ike q cat s.
which would take the skin of at touch y; but
Carlyle a bad husband He was ender-hcaIted
toward some few persons-but the union Of ten
derness of disposition with an intense and even
cruel selishness is not at all uncommon.
Only a very selfish, very proud, and very vain
man could have spoken and written as Carlyle did
of the majority of his acquaintance and Of the
great mass of mankind. O5jurgaton is as frequent
In this volume as in its predecessors and we do
not know whether Carlyle is more offensive in his
censorious and sour youth or in his bitter and