The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-03
OUR LITERARY BUDGET.
Some Unpublished Manuscripts Of Thomas
Carlyle.
THE PHILOSOPHER IN PARIS.
The Circumstances Under Which the Manu-
scripts Were neutrality-suspicious. Of the
French Capital Iecorded-Notes.

they viii admit to be unique. To call it a dip
into a lost work of Carlyle" in the style Of
the Aristotle find. would be rather grandiose.
But we have lately bad the good fortune TO
come upon two unpublished MSS. Of Thomas
CARLYLE. considerable enough in their nature
and literary interest 10 justify us in saying
that when once they have been Published no
complete" edition Of the Sage of Chelsea will
be able 20 ignore tbem. As yet. we oeheve,
the Carlyle Society is ignorant OF thetr exist
ence. Bnt al things come % Journalists; ana
we may say At once that there j. not tho slight
est doubt in the world Of the genuincness OF
the iDapnscripts Internal evidence apart, the
handwriting IL unmistakable. J. 4. froude. 10
whom they were submitted, pronounced IL 10
be Cerlyles without an instant's hesitation.
FnnalIv decided was the opinion OK Henry
Larkin. to whose faithful secretarIal laborS In
connection with Friedrich" and other works
CARLYLE bore grateful testimony, and who Is
probably better acquainted with all the pecu-
iiarities Of Carly]e's handwriting than any one
The shorter Of the two papers from which
we rrouose TO give extracts is q record OF n
sbort trip 10 Paris which Carlyle made in 1851.
The MS consists Of thirty-two closely written
sides If copy containing IN al some 1880
words.
BEFORE dipping into the Ms. itself, II may be
which it camo TO be written in the summer
Of 1851 Carlyle had spent month at Malvern,
in the hope Of getting relief from DR.. Gully's
water cure for some Of the many real and
imaginary ills his flesh war heir TO. Having
found by degrees water, taken as medicine,
to be the most destructive drug that (he) had
ever tried, and thus paid (his) tribute to CON
Temporary stupOr" he went nOrthward 10
Scotsbrig, full Of gloom and henyiness and
totally out Of health, bodily and spiritual
There he found his old mother visibly sink
inc. Other causes helped 20 darken the cloud
that Law upon him. In his own words "Prus-
sian Friedrich and the Pelion laid on Ossa of
Prussan Dryasdust lay crushing me with the
continual question, Dare | try it Dare
not?'" C'Letters and Memorials Of Jane
Welsh Carlyle" Preface 10 letter 1873.
It was in this mood that, after a short stay
in Scotland, he went 10 spend a few days IN
Paris with Lord and Lady Ashburton. The
present account of that little trip bears the
characteristic title
''Exclrsion futile enough to Paris; au-
tumu. 1851 thrown on paper. pen galloplng.
from Saturday 10 Tuesday, October A,
1851"
1t begins as follows:
Chelsea. October :. 1s5l.--The day before
Yesterday. near midnight Thursday. October
o. 1 returned from Z very short and very IN
significant excursion to Paris; which, after
month 40 Malvern water-cure and ten days
year. Miserable puddle and tumult all my
travels are Of no use to me- except TO bring
agitation sleeplessness, sorrow and distress.
Better not 10 travel at all unless when | am
bound TO it. But this tour Of Paris was
promised One had engaged TO meet the Ash
burtons (IOTd and Lady there on then re-
turn from Switzerland and Ilomburg, before
either party left London; the times AT last
suited. all was ready except will on my part;
80 after hesitation and painful lndecsion
enough | did resolve, packed my baggage
again, and did the little tour | stood engaged
for"
Many people start off for the North Pole or
for Darkest Africa" with less fuss and per-
turbaton Of spirit The chronicle begins on
Monday. September u, when brother John"
and Carlyle 90 70 ChOrley ito consult about
passports routes, conditions" Cborley gave
the information required, and helped tho
Seer. who seems to have bad no roOll IN his
brain fOy such humble details 10 procure
passport. Next day "A rumor had arisen that
nv passport would required to be yisa-ed or
that is the word: that must go 20 the City
for this end; that, etc. l called on ChOrley 70
consult: Chorley. HE old mother having fallen
suddenly i'll. could not get away 10 see me
even FOR minute
An unexpectt Deus ex maclrina, however,
came to the rescue.
At Chapinans shop. learned that Robert
Browning (poeO and his wife were Just about
setting out for Paris. walked 10 their place
had. duriug that day and the following. con-
hnlmtions with these fellow pilgrims and de-
cided to 90 with them by Dleppe on Thurs
day"
Wednesday bad been the day on which he
had originally intended 10 start but he post
ponded his journey for tho sake" as be can
didly admits "Of company who knew the
way" lie has, indeed, the grace 70 add The
Brownings, and their experience and friendly
qualities were worth waiting for during one
day but Il will come IS a shock TO members
Of the Browning Societyto ind that the god
Of their idolatry' was, TO oil appearance,
valued by Carlyle chiefly, if not solely. for
his efficiency as q personal conductor" OF in
experienced tourists.
At length the fateful day arrives, up nc
c0rdingly on Thursday morning IN unutter-
able furry and tumult Of humr-phenomena
on the Thames all dreamlike, one spectralism
chasing another: 10 the station in good time;
found the Brownings just arriving, which
seemed good omcn.
They take their places in the train, and
forthwith the literary 'impresslODist" begins
to take stock Of his surroundings
Browning, with wife aud child and maid
then ], then an empty seat for cloaks and
baskets lastly. m the opposite end from me,
q hard faced. honest Englishman or Scotch
man, ali in gray and with a gray cap, who
looked rather ostrich-like, but proved very
harmless and quiet this was the loading Of
our carriage ma so away we went, browning
talking very loud and with vivacity rather
silent tending toward many thoughts
They reach Ncwhagen without adventure
and embark. Browning still managing every
thing. Carlyle mnnfully Te.ists an attempt at
proselytism:
"A man with religious tracts, French. Ger
man. English came on board: / took from
him in all the three kinds (which served me
well as waste paper) many refused. some
Chiefly of the Englsh) with anger and con-
tempt
The Channel claimed It's usual tribute:
our friends especially our French friends,
were full Of hustle full Of noise. at startlng
but 50 soon as we had cleared the little chan
British Channel, all this abated. sank into the
general sordid torpor of sea-sickness. with its
miserable noises, "Hoahah hohh!" and hardly
any other amid the rafting of the wind and
sea. sorry phasls of humanity. Browning
was sick lay in one of the bench tents horn
zontal his wife below. was not absolutely
sick, but had to be quite quiet and without
comfort save in one cigar. for seven or eight
hours of clustering, spraying and occasional
rain"
On their arrival at Dieppe the poet again
shows himself the practical man of the past.
While the others were in the hotel having
some very Dad cold tee and colder Coffee
Browning was out III the DouAre; we had
all passed Our persons through it.. guided in
by rope barrier and shown our pas ports
now Browning was passing our luggage:
brought IL al I'm safe about half-past H. and
oh 20, L