New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-13
THE CARLYLE PAPERS.
CIR LANES STEPHENS vINDICATION OF
FROUDE.
TEE GREAT AUTHORS INpEcisIoN OF CHARACTER
AND THE CAusK-rhE MYSTERY OF HIS Do
MEsrIc EXISTENCE TO BIZ CLEARED UP.
TBY CABLE TO THE TRIBun.]

~ur envAr AUTHORS INDIGESTION OF CHARACTER
AND THE CAusR-rhE MYSTERY OF HIS DO
MEsrIc ExlsrxNcE TO BIZ CLEARED UP
TBY CABLE TO THE TRIBuNE.]
LONDON, Dec lo-In view Of his departure
Por the West Indies on December 80. Mr. Froude
has prepared o complete statement OF MS conuuo'
m regard to the Carlyle papers written py OH
James Stephen, executor with Nr. Fronde under
Carly,e's will It gives in the form OF etter
N Mr. Frnlde the whole story with great cicar
ness Sir James writes that so Tar as inc VIII
made in 1873 was concerned NO legal "'n"uS
arose. but after making his will Carlyle dealt with
his pape-s III o way that caused much cmnafrasS-
meut. The will says "An express oioerspnS OF
mel really rather that there should DC nono.
But Carlyle changed his mind and sent Mr.. frouae
q great mass of papers, manuscript and DOCKS
without written directions Of any SORT Veroany
he told Mr. Froude to do as he pleased. addinS
that he was to bum freely. Some months alter
her uncle's death Mrs Alexander Carlyle informed
the executors that in 1875 he made veroai XIV
to her of all his Papers. but few weeks ai.er
Carlyle's death Sir James had long con' ersaeioh
with Mrs Carlyle concerning her understanuns
of the facts relating to her uncle's papers. vi
this he wrote a memorandum in her presence. IL
gave no hint of any gift of Papers and Mrs. Car
lyle never disclaimed its correctness when INC
copy was sent her. In the summing UP Sir James
says:
"You iFroudel appear to me to have acted
o,ite straiyhtforwardly throughout You gave
Mrs CARLYLE aobve f1 600 sterling. which shc
could not have compelled you to give her. ohc
took the view Of the publication Of the reminis-
ccnces which many people do take, ana trleo 10
stop publication of the biography on, what she
believed to be valid legal grounds. think she
was enormously advised. but the question Is one
of mere curiosity which can never now oe oeciueo
,hnla n1f
<sllty in this matter arose frm the fcehicncss
and indecision-natural enough in extreme old
are-,vhicI, prevented Carlyle from making UP
his mind conclus> ely as 10 what he wished TO De
done about his parers an' hsving his decision put
into wr:tlnr The paralysis which lattery ulS-
ab,ed his hands from writing was no ooupo d
partial explanation Of this.
For about fifteen years I was the Intimate
friend and constant companion OF both OF you
and never in my life did see any one man 81
much devoted to any other as you were TO MN.
1t is to me wholly incredible that ANYTHING put
severe regard for truth. learned to great extent
from his teaching could ever have led YOU TO en-
body in YOUR portrait of him the dclneatlon OF
faults and weaknesses which were mixed Win MS
great qualities. He did not use you wen. lie
threw upon YOU that responsibility OF decision
which he ought to have taken upon himself. lie
G. nsideed himself bound to eXplate wrohHs
which he had done his wlie Han
he done this himself it would have been cour'
apeous thipg But he did not do it himself he
did not even decide for himself that it should be
done after his death If any courage was shown
by you in order to present the world with ttuc
pctllre of him as he really you well <nowinE
what YOU were about stepped into plllory III
which you were charged with tearhery' Violation
Of confidence. and every imaginable base motive
when you were. In TACT. guilty OF no other la'n'
than that of practising Carlyle's great doctrine
that men ought to tell the truth"
The statement of Sir James Stephen many VIII
rerard as final in regard to all the charges broushI
against Mr. Froudc by Mrs. Alexander CarVie.
am enabled however. to say that at no oistah'
aay q revelation of deep in crest physio'oSieahy'
may be expected which will throw plain hough
painful light upon the mystery of Carlyies mar
ried life 1t is indeed almost an open se''c' III
literary and medical circles that he should never
have married, and that remorseful convlcti'n oi
tbis cnawed at his heart for years and explains
much that is dark and sad in his strange donesVic