The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-02
III

The authors impressions OF Carlyle are set
down In a chapter OF the first volume which
bears the caption. The Princes OF Literature"
Mr. Mccarthy says frankly that Carlyle was a
man who always made him feel afraid Carlyle
had a fashion OF expressing his opinions which
was likely enough to make any young modest
beginner in the literary craft think twice be-
fore expressing any views OF his own in the
presence OF such a master. Two anecdotes
are related In order to explain the kind OF
trepdation which Mr.. MCCARTHY experienced
when he found himself in Carlyle's pres
ence. There was q very dear American
friend Of mine. DR.. George Ripley. a scholar
and literary man. whose name. I am
sure. Is still remem bered by many Eng
lish readers. Ripley was one OF those who.
with Margaret Fuller and Nathaniel Haw-
thorne. helped to form the little colony OF
Brook Farm. which Hawthorne has made i'm
mortal In his 'Blithedae Romance DR.. Rip
ley was ono OF the most genial and polished
gentlemen l have ever met. After the close
OF the American civil war he came over on u
visit to this country. and. furnished with q
cordial letter Of Introduction from Emerson. he
called on Thomas Carlyle at his house in Chel-
sea. Carlyle received him with sort OF grim
civility. but the civlity soon began to give way
as Carlyle set himself to unburden his mind
Government In America. Growing warm
with tho glow OF his own eloquent de-
nunciation. he poured forth on my poor
friend Ripley very lava torrent OF
censure and reproach. He told Ripley
that the Northern Government were hurry
ing their people down into Tophet-down into
a very inferno Of national calamity and shame
Ripley. the 1uietest and most modest OF men,
could only sit silent while the anger OF the
Chelsea philosopher was spending itself on Its
unressting subject. He made no attempt to
defend tho Government OF his country. but
quietly. when pause came. gathered himself
up. and without word OF remonstrance. left
the Chelsea home. not again to cross its thresh-
old" Tho other anecdote concerns the late
William Allingham. poet and essaylst He was
devoted friend OF Carlyle's and a constant
visitor at the latter's house. but the
gentleness OF his nature rendered dispute
OF any kind distasteful to him. and the
one thing that never would have occurred
to any OF his friends as possible was the chance
OF his taking upon himself Of disputng with
Carlyle. However. It so happened that one
evening at Carlyle's house there was little
company gathered together. and the talk
turned on an eminent English statesman not
now living whose political action just then was
the subject OF general controversy. Carlyle
denounced tnlb statesman WIN even more
than his usual energy. and launched forth
into a denunciation which allowed OF no inter.
ruptlon until II had spent its force. Then Will
liam AllinGham began the mildest expos
tulaton. merely prefacing his intended
remarks by the suggestion that. after
ALL there might perhaps be something
to be said on tbe other side some
reason to be given Why the sentence OF tho
Court should not be passed against the ar
raigned statesman. Carlyle cut him short
: Eli! William dillingham; he broke forth,
you're Just about the most dsputatious man
l ever met Bh man. when you're In one Of
your humors. you'd Just dispute about any
thing Most OF the guests were bewIldered;
mono OF them had ever heard Allingham dis
pute about anything. and the idea Of his VEN
turing wantonly to argue with Carlyle had
never entered into tho minds OF the most dar-
ingly imaginative In that company Allingham
took the remark In very good part. and used to
tell the story himself for tho amusement an
delight OF some OF his friends. He re-
Rarded II as only Carlyle's way. and was
none the less devoted to his hero. sage,
and guide" Mr.. Mccarthy adds that all who
knew Carlyle we'll knew that he was not TO be
taken literally. and that the value OF his friend
ship was in no manner TO be estimated by tho
occasional weaknesses OF a temper too hot and
a spirit OF self-asssrtion too dominant. II
have known some Of Carlyl4's closest friends
and have always found that the closer was
men s knowledge OF him the warmer was their
affection for him. ] never came to know him
really In that inner sense; and any chances I
might have had Of getting into Q closer