The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-09

Carlyle ave been given through the
hast decade or so, and most of them
illustrative of his c~oarseness, abrupt
ness, incivilty and self-assertion.
Like DR.. Sam Johnson, another great
author and man of genius, the salient
points Of CARLYLE are such as to be ex-
0ggerated easily and invite criticism
and censure. But he had human ten
~f1erness as well as great ability. John
non was the most robust author of his
time, perhaps of the eighteenth CEN
fury. Carlyle is about the most po-
fential intellectual factor in our GEN.
sfury. and if not the greatest, equal to
almost any man., and perhaps second to
but one or two. Samuel Taylor Cole
ridge was perhaps more royalty en-
x1owed. Carlyle has exerted a great in
1Huence in letters during the last sixty
years, and his power has not yet fallen
into decay if it has appreciably waned.
Stories of him multiply, and they con-
Germ his last years more than when In
his middle life of power and influence.
He was a marvellous describer of men,
.and while not endowed with the poetic
gift in rythmical expression, he often
wrote great poetry as may be seen in
@.SartOr Resartus," one Of the wonders
and glories of modern He
had many personal admirers and
friends among his most ilustrious con-
ii empOraries. When two such men OF
genius, with the purest and most noble
E-L~-nnEar. Tannucnr and RnSkln-
=scould be drawn closely to the rugged,
~dogmatic Scot you may be sure there
was in him the fibre of a great man,
who was not without a rich human
sympathy, if he did hate shams and
Dretenders. Dean Farrar tells in his
decent book, "Reminiscences" several
aBtories of Carlyle. Here is one and it
sEs true we may believe:
81 remember once being Nold by a
Friend that he happened to visit Car
Ny1e Just after a brilliant man Of genius
mad left him, whom my friend had met
~Dn his way to Carlyle's door. "Ah,"
=1said the visitor, II have just been visit
ing poor Carlyle. He is a mere wreck
had Mr.. - with you?" said my friend
TO Carlyle. Yes" was the answer OF
the mere wreck; land he thinks God
never made such another"
The tendency in latter day critics is
10 depreciate genius by magnifying or
Emphasizing personal foibles. A mar
may be intellectually great and be Of
8uch qualities and characteristics as to
xepel admiration. Carlyle was honest
and of critical bent, full Of complaints
sand OF sour temper, but he was an in
tense dyspeptic through half OF his
xife-he lived to be some Sand de-
aacribed his sufferings as that Of many
rats knawing the coats of his stomach
Those who know what that miserable
FORM of indigestion is can appreciate
fhe petulant and Q%uerulous Scots
mans tribulations when a victim of
such punishment. 1t is no wonder he
Erowled and groaned. Mr.. Balfour, a
scot himself, and a distinguished Eng
fish statesman and author, has a SOBER
view of his great countrynan. He de-
Eivered an address and in discussing
stevenson as a writer, turned to Car
Hvie. of whom he is not one OF the
-1strictest sect" of admirers, and among
sxDfher entertaining things SAID L holo
Ghat only those who a admire fully
Ind freely are competent critics OF
treat genius, and that Carlyle was a
xreat benius-that Carlyle had In him
force and originality of nature which
&nabled him t speak to two genera
H1nus of his countrymen with a power
foroo IN some Of tho deeDeSt and
wnosx important subjects which can in
xnerest us-that Carlyle could do that
49, perhaps no man has been able to dc
-. IS a fact which, whether we admire
nnxiyle or do not admire him, We must
nkanowledge as honest historians he
meceeded in doing"