The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-21
Mr.. FROUDE'S EXPLANATION.
WHY HE MADE KNOWN THE
CARLYLE FAMILY TROUBLES.

WIN N0fIyIc-U WIS NUTIyN VNseI
THAT the story Should Become Public
Tho Real Tragedy In the Case
--Froude's Quarrel With the Hesrs--7he
Carlyle Controversy Again Re'fved.
The storm that arose after Mr.. Froude's
revelations of the wretched domestic life
OF Thomas Carlyle and his wife, twenty
years ago. has not been forgotten. There
had been no such literary scandal since Mrs.
Harriet Beecher Stoves resurrection OF
the Byron dissensions. There are plenty
OF people whose idea of literature is to
burrow into the intimate private life OF
authors they do not read, and who feel
bound to take sides for one party or tho
other in the unfortunate matrimonial
squabbles which, being recorded In books
are. Of course, lifted above vulgar gossip.
The Carlyle tempest had simmered down
little while ago. Though 1t was by no
means safe to express judgment in favor
or against Mrs. Carlyle or her husband in
feminine literary circles. the acrimony
had diminished and a discussion did not
end necessarily in a lasting feud
The whole controversy, however, has
blazed up again since the recent publioa-
ton Of the New Letters and Memorials OF
OdUc VOlhu SdTIyie, duO piic ~ ob- ~
lacks on Mr. Froude in the introduction
and notes have brought on retort from
the grave that will revive again the dis
cussion about the propriety OF his publish
ing the papers intrnsted to him
The disagreeable quarrel in which he
became involved with Carlyle's relatives
at the time OF the general cutlery against
him for making public the Carlyle memoirs
led Mr. Froude to write out the story Of
his connection with Carlyle and with the
papers. This he did in pencil in a note
book, which he put away with a copy Of
Carlyle's will. 1t would never have been
published had not his relatives been in
censed at the recent attacks. 1t appears
now in a short pamphlet called MY Rela-
tons With Carlyle published by Long
mans, Green 4 Co.. and by Charles Scrib-
ner's Sons in this country. which, with the
addition OF Sir James Fitzjames Stephens's
defence OF Froude's conduct and some
documents, comprises only eighty small
pages.
No attempt has been made 10 give literary
form to Froude's statement; 1t Is given
just as he wrote it. After relating, in
explanation, some passages in his early
lie and how the influence of Carlyle's writ
ings had changed the whole course Of his
career and estranged him from his family,
he tells Of his going to London and coming
into personal contact with Carlyle. He
tried to avoid intimacy in order to pre-
serve his hero worship, but circumstances
soon brought them closely together. He
sums up his impressions Of the household
thus:
introduced thus into closer relations with
the life at Cheyne row. | could not help be-
coming acquainted with many things which
| would rather not have known. II Carlyle
was busy he was In his sound-proof room,
and never allowed himself to be interrupted.
Any one who disturbed him at such times
was not likely to repeat the experim ent.
Mrs Carlyle was very much alone. She was
In bad health and he did not seem to see il.
or IL he did ne forgot II Immediately in the
multitude Of thoughts which pressed upon
him. She rarely saw him except at meal
times. She sat by herself in her drawing
room. either reading or entertaining visitors.
who bored her. and Of whom she dared not
ask him to relieve her.
One had heard OF violent auarrels from
others who were admitted within the circle.
and one began to realize that they might
perha ps be true One had heard uat she
had often thought Of leaving Carl~l", and
as IL she had a right to leave him II she
pleased.
He himself had really a vigorous constitu.
ton. He ne;er had day Of serious illness.
He used to walk or ride in the widest weather
and never carried 40 much as an umbrella.
Yet never knew him admit that he felt we'll
He never spoke OF himself without com
plant, as If he WAS an exceptional victim
OF the destinies She was weary Of hearing
a tale so often repes ted. the Importance OF
which she was so we'll able to value.
She was very often alone with him. She
presided at the tea Ia BILE AT the small evening
gatherings of his admirers in her own charm
ing fashion. But Carlyle on these coca sions
did not converse. He would not allow HIM
self to be contra drted. but poured out whole
Niagaras Of scorn and vituperation. some
times for hours together. and she WAS weared.
as she confessed, OF tale which she had
heard SO often. and much Of which she i'm
perfectly believed.
With the high esteem in which he hold
both Carlyle and his wife. Froude was
Obliged to seek for some serious reason for
their lasting differences. He accepts Miss
Geraldine Jewsbury's story that Mrs.
Carlyle had at one time planned suicide.
He also accepts Miss Jewsbury's story,
obtained from Mrs. Carlyle. of the original
and incurahle cause of their unhappiness.
It has bean spoken OF often enough in
the controversies Of the last twenty years
Put plainly. it is that Carlyle did his wife
the unforgvable wrong Of marrying her
when he was physically unfit for marriage,
and when he knew his condition himself.
She was his wife only in name; SHE yearned
for children, and she was filled with scorn
at his protesting passion for one other
woman at least. knowing what he was.
They kept their secret but each chafed
at the chain He gave way to churlshness
and her nerves broke down under the
strain.
After Mrs. Carlyles death her husband
gave way to remors~ and dependency.
He shut himself up in the house with her
dinries and papers. and for the first time
wa. compelled to look himself in the face.
and to SEQ what his faults had been. The
worst ofthose faults | ha We concealed hit herto.
con conceal them no longer he found a
ren,em brs nee In her diary OF the blue marks.
which, in At Of pa ssion. he had once inflicted
on her arms He saw that he had made her
entirely miserable; thnt she had sacr!Ac cd
her life to him. and that he had de a
wretched return for her devotion. As soon
as he could collect himself he put together
4 memoir OF her. in which, with deliberate
courage. he inserted the discriminating pas
sages Thy me omitted, of her diary. the notes
Of the blue marks among them, and he added