New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-19
SNEERING ATC1RLYLE.
From The liverpool Mercury.

From The Lirsrpool Ifercury
Nv first visit was to the house where CARLYLE was
born. Ii a two-story cottage or two neium-skcd
rooms and one closed over a wide gateway. The loom
below has CRATE ana oven 1t II paved; the room
above has old cupboard The house is now not il
in Carlvles days. New doors have been put in,
and the walls have been renovated. II is poor Il
little place easily conceive Cariyles father
lived here when lac mason. His earning, in
those days probably not larger than ~ a week.
ami 1t would surprise me to hear that at the time OF
Carlyle's birth the rent OF the place could have
been more than 81 year. The street here IL wider
than elsewhere, and between the houses the stream
runs paved path Is before the doors either side
and the housewives cast their taste water from the
pavement down muddy bank that recks OF refuse.
Up the archway bad referred toshere is sort of
court. containing other similar tent ments the group
altogether containing about dozen families IA
much ground as might be occupied by two modern
cottages renting at, say 40 each. The birth
place j. not in occupation An elderly person in
the colrt kcens the key and admits vsiteri l., tho
birth-rOom the visitors books lie the table the first
! name entered being Joseph Cook and wife, Boston,
|. ). ~" The entries are fairly numerous, perhaps
forty or fifty for each year. There is furniture
except the table and chair aforesaid The old care.
taker could say very little 1t was obviously pulling
10 her that Mrs Carlyle should keep this house empty
She thought the lady would surely let it Soon tho Ugh
she had heard folk say that there was more
furniture coming, and that the oed room was to be
entirely furnished from aud Tom Carlye's house in
London" Her Scotch thrift stubbOrnly resisted all
belief in that proceeding 1t wad be sic waste
Folk came from far and near, and some played sad
pranks- wanted TO tear bits OF the paper OF the walls
sometimes kissed the floor, etc, etc. | was reminded
BY the good lady's talk that tie immortal Podgers
unknown in his own house.
met good body who the funeral. Very few
had been there just three four old gentlemen from
London and o batch OF reporters perhaps twenty In
all; hardly any Of the Eccleechan people had
troubled 10 come. Ii had been a wet cold uncanny
morning. She remembered Tom Carlyle Weel He
was "a queer crazy auld body. thou. nae doobt a
great mon" He had 10, been too good 10 his wife
neither a the woman remembered though che had
never heard any of the strangers saying So aud had
never heard OF any books about II. She could tell
lang stOi les an need be- but II a sad wark
Gathering Nay. the Carlyles we're noways gIeatly
respected in Eccleicchan, for sure went over to
mine inn. and there met considerable gentleman
who bad been James CaTlyles landlord when he
farmed three miles away lie had nothing good 10 say
about the Carlyles They were fractions race tho
whole OF them. with never a civil Tor anyone.
As for Tom Carlyle, he thought too much OF himself
and everybody else dirt I" No coming here TO
hear any good OF him." said the great person a. ho
rose and strobe out The thing almost II amusing
US pathetic. These Ecceieohan people could not see
what the world sees In Carlyle, and what they could
not To their taste.
AT the citation had long chat with the station
master while waiting for train lie had much to say
about the funeral, but nothing different about tho
Carlyles They were dsrespected lot" he re-
Deatcd. He knew Carlye's father and thought him
a coarse, ill-natured man. He also knew Carlylss
mother. and heard her say Gamma max nothing OF
our looms writins." And this is tho atmosphere In
which Carlyle lies buried.