New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-01
NEW CARLYLE LETTERS.
More Sour Judgments Of the Sage
Of Chelsea.

The two volumes Of New Letters OF Thomas
Carlyle" which have just been brought out IN
London Go not exhaust We are told, the sur
viving correspondence Of the Scotchman- Proba-
bly,, however, no more letters VIII be given TO
the public, and We think that the public viii
not suffer under the deprivation. Here is ''suf-
fciency"-and We may add that much Of il is
entertaining and some OF II is amusing.
TO Browning Cof whom he speaks as dwell
ing in an element Of Charles Lambisrn, British
Museum ClassicaIity, and other COckney encun-
brance'D he sends this letter OF excellent advice:
Ny Dear Sir: Many months ago you were kind
day have been looking into your -Pippa Passes
for which also 7 am your debtor. II I have made
no answer hitherto surely not for want OF in
terest in you, for want Of estimation Of you: both
not without friendly hopes and a2xieties II due
measure A14s' II Is 50 se!qoLa laat any r,l %0I0
one can SPEAK IS not worse t1an q Hord SCI IN
spOken;-seldom that one man, bv his speaking OF
his silence can. in great vital interests help an
Unless I very greatly mistake, judging from
I- e go ~ nav --f- - ling it, to ,1nfSid
1919 7 -.-t - -
problem Of all problems for you This noble en-
dowment, il seems 10 me farther, you are not at
world had loudly called itself content with these
rendered you no fataIer disservce than that samel
Believe me speak with sincerity; and Il had not
loved you well, would not have spoken at all
Alas, that the poet was incapable Of profting
by this COUNSEL
Here is CarIyle's estimate OF Bret Harte and
incidentally his estimate Of Dickens:
Bret Harte himself IS a notable kind OF object
q man altogether modelled upon Dickens, ike
Dickens seeking his heroes in the region OF black
guardism and cutters, where heroic magnaniIni-
ties and benevoence- believe, were never found;
y, instead Of penetration the real sort OF them
and their afairs-which, indeed, lies much farther
down. Like Dickens however, he does the feat
genera-ly rather wei and Suppose WI commune
Of more weight OF metal than Dickens was
Here is glimpse Of Macaulay as seen IN 1851:
We have had Macaulay for two days: he was
q real acquisition while he lasted and gave rise 10
much good talk, besides an immense quantity Of
Indifferent, which he himself executed A man OF
truly wonderful historical memory which he has
tried in really extensive reading and has always
lying ready with this or the other fact date or
anecdote on demand: Ia other respects, constantly
dehnable as the subject Of commonplace; not one
q whose IDEAS mas ne te-al -l-el-It5 O
or originality or any kind OF superior merit e1-
Cept ueatuess Of eIpressIoni Va-Ce med-Ocrls home
OF men who were Of finer texture than himself
Carlyle had no understanding whatever. Wit
ness his shallow and vulgar Judgments Of
Lamb, and this passage on Thackeray in one
Of the new letters: There is great deal Of tai
ent IN him, great deal Of sensibility- irritabu-
ity. sensuality, vanity without Iimit-and moth
ing. or little, but sentimentaIism and play &C
torisn to guide ii all with not good or well
found ship IN such waters on such voyage"
Whatever failed this dyspeptic Of Chelsea, II
was not his fairness. Here IS = characteristic
bit Of description:
saw. Rogers Poet Rogers while ago, at din
ner with Taylor; a BAN IFozeH ora s5ra9nlc " als
hare scalps, blue eyes shrewd, sad and cruel;
I225ae Sow s-9an o Slreastc insight l pereet
breedng-staterooms where you are welcomed even
where none but the proprietor enters!