The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-16

Jsne Welsh Carlyle.


We have seldom seen moro sympathetic
and delightful biography than the life OF Jane
Welsh Carfp'e by Mrs. ALEXANDER IRELAND
tCharles L. Webster Il Co.l The author ofthis
memoir has made use OF all tho materials
available. including not only those collected By
Mr.. Froude, but also many additional letters
and much supplemental information furnished
BY Mr. @. D. Rtohis. Mr.. Henry Larkin. and
Mr.. John stores Smith. Some OF the Letters
printed In this volume are now for the first
time published. notably those from Mrs. Car-
I've TO Mrs. Dining. tho Grace Rennie" Of
the old Haddington days. 1t is not easy to
discuss the married life Of the Carlylos with
out taking sides. and the reador Is likely to be
moved to surprise and admiration bv tho spirit
OF unwaverinE Justice displayed throughout
the book iefore U.S. II tho author writes Of
Mrs. Carlyle with deep and touching tender-
ness she speaks Of her husband also with pro-
found respect and cordial regard. and We DO
not encounter a worl which other OF them.
were they living would desire to bot This is
q remarkable achievement and reflects as
nIucn credit upon tho heart as upon the head
OF the three hundred pages com prlsed In
Mrs. lreland's volume. those which deal with
the hardships and worries OF the Chelsea
household cover ground with which most
readers are already familiar. Much the same
thing may be said OF the prolonged and acute
suffering which Mrs. CARLYLE experienced
owing to her husbands frien lily relations with
Lady As!burton. On the latter subject we
will n, ercly remark that it has mover before
been touched with hand ut onco so sonrrh-
Inv and 30 delicate. For ourselves. wa have
pre- srred to lingcr On the chapters comp sing
more thnn quarter o! tho book which pr.
tray Miss Wel>h's personality, d piGt in de.
tail her early Ito. md leave her On
her marriage day. To thoss who look
somewhat narrowly a. tho data hero
brought together. 1t " IL seem plain that the
Fundamental source OF Airs. Carlyle's unhsrpi-
ness Is TO be found In tho iact that she did not
love her husband In the fullest sense OF the
word. She profoundly respected him. she
kecnly sympat hized with many Of his feelings
aud aspirations. she honorcd the sturdy up-
riehtncsI Of his character. But she could not
give him the imrnssonrd love which she had
felt for Edward Irving anil in the absence Of
loves alchemy fusion OF their natures was
impossible. 1t was This primal shortening
rather than any adventiious difference in
habits. tastes. and social position which
foredoomed her marriage experiment to fall
ure. Perhaps. indeed. rather too much has
case Of this married pair. Stated crudely. tho
facts hardly warrant the deductions drawn
from them. For country surgeons daughter
to marry man OF genius whose father was u
stonemnson does not AZ or all, present any
very startling inconGruity. II Is true that Dr..
Welsh was no ordinary surgeon. and that on
the score OF birth and landed estate he was on
titled to rank With country gentlemen. It'll
also true that Jane Welsh's mother could trace
her descent TO Sir William Wallace. thaa whose
blood mono redder or nobler flows III any Sc"t-
fish veins. Nor can 1t 10 denied that the oul-
dvs.ion and refinement In which Jane Welsh
had. as q natter Of fact. been reared. had
created different atmosphere from that in
which Callyle hal been brought up Carlyle was
Q peasant OF genius. II on tho one side he
touched the stars. on the other he lay very close
to earth His view OF the relations Of wife to
hOr husband. and Of their comparative posi-
lions In a household. were those II a Scotch
laborer. ana he never outgrs W them in his own
domestic circle. though no mus. Us iime wont
on. have recognized their absurd incon-
sistoncy with Lady Ashburson's view OF life.
From the moment tuat Miss Welsh married
Linn he instinctively compared her with his
mother. and sincerely took for granted that
what was good enough for the one ought to
content the other. Carlyle. In other words.
breeding TO live In the marital relation with
lady. though it is possible that had his wife
passionately loved him. he mi yht under hor
influence have become profoundly changed.
To her. at all events. many things might have
seemed trivial which, ns ii was. seemed lew
Gus. AND she ~ light have stnrd the ebuili.io ions
ofahot temper which made things worse. Tho
story even OF he courtsh p OF this strange rair
is pathetic. SO patent is it to the onlooker that
they are about 10 maze q grave mistake.
There Is no doubt that Miss Jnne Welsh
must have been fascinating young woman.
for from childhood she reveHed tho double
charm o. beauty and of intellect. Her curling
black hair. large back eyes. now shining VITA
soft mockery. now softly sad her Gear pale
skin. broad forehead. and nose the least hit
reiron5Sj, he:p TO give US u picture Il an nroh
gay. mobile little creature. whose slight. airy.
anu grRceful figure was in harmony with the
spiritual! face. Those who knew her sreak OF
her as beautiful to tho very end OF her life.
Such beauty rs could call forth this tribute
must have been undoLiab!y pronounced. and
such beauty as could Survive In triumph the
long mirtyrdom 10 which this bright being
was Uredesined must have traced its source
to tho spirit whence 1t conld shine forth
amid ruins. From I'M carly period OF
her II Q 1t was felt by those around
her that her most remarkable gifts
were those OF tho mind. Her intellectual Vi
vac'y was startling. Naturally playful, too.
she was and she does not soon to have been
spoiled even by tho petlng OF her two grand
fathers. No doubt there was certain rivalry
between the latter 10 attract the notice Of this
prscocous and gifted little child. Mrs. Ire.
land conoeivOs her to have been even from her
babyhood a couuette. with that wonderful
carrice Of baby girls so intensely amusing to
grown-up people. so half pathetic and Alto
Rether human when considered from some
points OF view. Who has not seen the dimpl
dsspot OF q year old safely enthroned within
tho arm OF mother or father give or passion
Ately refuse kiss contract the whole face
with sudden frowns or dispense bewitchlnR
smiles. and offer or sharply withdraw the
diEped roseleaf hand?"
The fact is interesting and significant that
Jane Welsh was dauntlsss child. possessed Of
. courage seldom exhibited under modern con-
ditions By her sex. Amusing 10 Mrs. Ireland's
account OF her attack on "a horrid and alarm
ING turkey cock she was apt to opco unter At