The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1892-01-02
AN ANECCCIE OF CARLYLE.
How IL L ed 10 scr bible on the MAJ
gins o. library Books,


gins o. library Books,
Robert a-rison who has been libra
ran Of the London library for mo. e
than thirty-four years, in the course of
his presidential address at the recent
librarians conference at Nottingham,
gave Some interesting "reminiscences
of Carlyle and other eminent men who
were accustomed to frequent the libra
>ry. says the iall Mall Budget The
most consp! c.,ousl y original man among
them was Carlyle. He often visited
the library. Ills conversation was
most amusing. full of extravagant and
eEagre 'ated s1atements and always
ending with 4 loud laugh. apparently
at himself
He used the library books extern
sively for his later works and was
guilty of the reDrehensib,e practice Of
writing Oh the margins o. their books.
lie must admit that his remarks were
never meaningless. but chiefly consist
ed OF corrections OF date or errors in
the text. One remark of his. however.
which was pretty well known was
criticism. 1t occurred in Charles DID
din collection o. songs. the last page
OF which contained the ordinary YER
sion of Rule Britannia" At the foot
OF this boastful song Carlyle had writ
tea ..Gock-a- doCd { DO" with a small
forest OF notes OF exclamation after il.
Ia a case Like that the librarian would
be nartiuet IN iced if he efaccd from
the BOOK an expression so character
lstic o, the man OF genius who wrote il.
lie honed they would pardon him
for taus dwelling few moments on
the name OF Carlyle if only for the
sake OF his prs. nant saying SO inter
estlng 10 them all: .'Why is there not
ma. esty's library in every county
town? There is q ma;es;y's all and
eal.ows IN every one"
OF ihachcray, another eminent
member OF the London library. he had
an aneIdote which they probably had
heard before. When writing The
Nirglnlans' h came to him CHE speak
err for a lie Of Gen. Wolfe. Il don't
want he said, 'stn historical account
of his career. Lord Aahon's book
gives ne that But | want something
that VIII tell me the color of his
b.eeches." He had the Pleasure also
OF helping Charles Rcade 10 find ma
te-'ials for his splendid story of The
Cloister and the Hearth. =
The late Lord Lytton was frequent
visitor and in ,uirer. IS was also the
author Of Westward Io," ana the
great novelist known by the name of
George Eliot lie was lite astoaished
st first to see what pains and research
were applied 10 the production OF
books so easy TO read as were their
bes. novels. An illGstrious living
member OF the London library. Mr.
Gladstone, had always taken an inter-
est in their prosperity and had often
given them his valuable support at
taeir meetings. lie male use chiefly
OF their works o. reference.
lie remembered with pleasure
small incident that occurred when
"Juventus Mundi' was going to the
press. Mr.. Gladstone called 10 verify
& line in Fropectius or Ausonius he
forgot which. He told his need to one
OF the masters who happened to be
present The line was found and it
differed slightly from that which Mr.
Gladstone had quoted. But" said
the Eton master to HIM afterward his
line was much finer than the one which
We found ID print"