The Irish standard., 1895-12-07
Justin, In His Youth, Was Lover
Of the crusty, Cranky,
Philosopher.
The Visit of the Latter to Ireland 4
and His Warm Friendship
for Duffy.
Opposition to Ireland Nationality
and His Denunciation of the
Northern States.

think it was in 1s4S-possibly it may
have been 1S49-that first saw Thomas
! CARLYLE. 1t was in Ireland--in Cork
and we'll remember that he was seated
OIL an Irish jaunting-car and was wear
ing a white hat. FIe was accompanied
ON that particular occasion, if I reinem-
her rightly, by the present Sir Charles
Gavan Duffy Certainly Carlyle was ac-
companied through most of his Irish tour
by Mr.. Duffy. as he was then. Every
body knows that, despite their utterly
discordant opinions on Irish national
questions, the war1nest friendship exist
ed between Carlyle and Duffy. l have
! indeed seen in print somewhere letter
from Carlyle in which he expressed a
positive "affection" for Duffy. He had
even q regard and admiration for john
Mitchell. the most formidable and de-
! terlnined among the Irishlnen of 1842,
who threw over OConnell's constitution
al movement and went in openly for
armed rebellion. Carlyle was fiercely
and even. I may say, sayageiy, opposed
| TO MitchelI's principles and policy, but
he saw that the man was strong, able,
and sincere and he did not undervalue
! his noble qualities, writes Justin Nc
! Carthy.
! I met Carlyle once Or twice in those
! far-off days I had but little chance Of
conyersing with him. not many chances
even Of speaking to him, and was only
lad of Is, and was terribly in awe of
him. We young fellows in the South OF
! ireland at that tirne--the young fellows,
at least who profeesed to have any lit
| lyle. The most ardent Nationalist
among lis was almost ready to condo1e
| his denunciation Of Irish nationalism for
! the sake Of his French Revolution In
our local literary debating societies we
tried to initiate his tricks Of speech, and
| we thought we were very clever fellows
when we spoke of Some one treasuring
| un some feeling Gin the great heart Of
| him. instead Of in his great heart,
| Therefore I felt ashamed when I had a
| chance Of sreaking to Carlyle. we'll re-
| member that he asked great many
questions of people about the whole con-
diton Of ireland, and that he generally,
Or at all events often, contradicted the
| authority to whom he appealed before
/ the reply of the oracle invoked was half
out of the oracle's mouth. No doubt
| Carlyle had a sincere goodwill to Ireland
in his own sort of way. He published an
appeal to Lord John Russell. the prime
minister, in which ne urged On him the
necessity Of doing something to promote
the industrial improvement Of Ireland
'ffle regi1nenting Of Irishmen's indisp,t-
| able talent for spade work" 1t was In
| this appeal that Carlyle used an express
| sion which has been incessantly quoted
since that time. He explained after his
! own fashion that he we'll understood the
/! difficulties in the way of any "British
chief governor" to get anything accom-
| plished in the midst Of incessant parlia-
mentary. debate - public speaking
transacted in the hearing Of 27ooo 900,
many of whom are FOOLS l do not re-
member now how long Mr. Carlyle staid
| in Ireland, but l know at the time he
| had dropped q letter signed with the In
| itiaIs 1T. c." into the letter box Of a very
ardent Nationalist paper in Dublin, then
edited by q gifted friend Of mine long
since dead, in which he gave advice To
| Irish Wationalists after his rough ras-
| ping but not altogether unkindly, fash
| ion. s%
| When next saw Carlyle, many years
! had come and gone. He was settled, Of
course in the mouse in Cheyne row which
! will always be associated with his name.
I mad made London my permanent resi-
aence, and was trying hard to get on in
,'literalure and journalism. I was living
| in the same quarter as Carlyle, and hard u
ly any figure was more ia niljar to me in
the streets than his. remember so we'll
the slouch hat, the odd-looking cloak, the
rather sfanlbling walk, the harsh, rug
ged, lion-like head and face, and the In 4
descibable air Of dignity, and even Of
something like majesty, about the whole
figure Very proud ] was tn those days
when he happened to rem eu,ber me, OF
fancied he remembered me, we'll enough
to give me passing nod. ] met him a
few times to talk. to, but ] soon found
that our whole code of Of opinions was too 4
hopelessIy a1ltagonistie to allow OF my
having any claim on his sympathfes or ]
even his forbearance. Then I was quite
au obscure journalist, only just beginning 81
to ser my way into journalism and liter
ature and not in the least entitled to take
up any OF Carlyles time. After my first
visit to- America went out In 1865 and 4
returned in 1270-I made no further
effect 70 put myself in Carlyle's way.
While / WIS In the States was fortunate z
enough to become intimately acquainted
with the late George Ripley. a charming
gentleman, scholar and writes. who. was
then we'll known to many Englishraens
George Ripley was one OF the found deYsst1fs S,t1l
that Brook Farm colony which ff4essgSSSs AZ
thorne has made in,nortal in his g Bafthe5sa
dale Romance. Ripley was abOut
|Ipay a visit to Europe during the ssecplda.a me /.
year of my stay in the States and he yvasS
naturally anxious to see some Of the
men of England. En- erson Raye els fs RI;
most genial lett se5ss'
live, and of n rcd NUM-
lother letters aS