The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-17

of the Carlyle letters and Reminiscent ces A From what we read of her, Lady Harriet's personality was more charm ing and attractive than Lady Hollands. Her husband, Mr. Barring, afterward Lord Ashburton. was a distinguished man in the political affairs Of England. To the Grange, their house near Lon don, went all the notables-Thackera Macaulay, Bunssen, BrooktieId, Mtlnes, the 'cariyles-delightful gatherings of delightful people, all 'madiy gay, and Macaulay talking so copioasiy he beat Carlyle" says Carlyles wife,
 It Is through the letters of Mrs. Car" lyle that we come to know Lady liar riet intimately---that she is revealed to us in her attractiveness, her grace, her spontaneity.
 Mrs, Carlyle was herself woman of fascinating cleverness as her letters titly memorialize. But she always oe. sired passionately the power of social leadership, She saw Lady Harriet yielding securely and royalty the scep- tre she had dreamed she might have held herself as the wife of one Of the greatest philosophers and profoundest thinkers of his age. But the privilege and place of position, the noblesse obiige of hereditary holding, added to talent, beauty and grace were or SatAJ o brightness could not reach. She had hoped with her great enthusiasm and her devoted belief in Carlyle's genius, that she, too, might be planet in similar system. As Jeannie Welsh, she had been made by her early friends to appreciate to the full the gifts of mind she undoubtedly possessed. It was Jeffreys who always little more her friend than he was Carlyle's-toid Carlyle to take his blooming Eve out of her blasted paradise tock--"and go to London London had been the Mecca or dreams to both the Carlyles. The doors of the social world he cared little for. opened widely to Carlyle; he was lion- ized as Burns had been half a century before. He had dominating genius, and 1t was as vivid and picturesque in so- cial life as 1t was in his books. Peo- pie recognized and appreciated-none more so than the Earrings, who became not merely admirers. but sincere friends. Mrs Carlyle was obliged to be simply Mir. Carlyle's wife and to be received on his merits alone. If she | had any unusual ones herself that diff l ferentiated her from the wives of other | famous men, they were not sought out or made much of. The people who found her fascinating and agreeable were her husbands friends who came | to pay tribute to him. She soon dis | covered she would never be able to be
 what Lady Harriet was without effort "a great lady" as she herself phrased It. It was Lady Harriet's birthright
 and so was, in way, her charm-the l fascination a brilliant woman who has | lived in the world and led her part | of 1t, can exercise. Her coterie in- 1 cluded the best of social and literary
 London. It was, as some of her friends
 said, the life of a queen, and she was
 royalty kind and gracious to
 all who gathered about her. to Mrs. Carlyle as much as Mrs. Car
 lyle would allow her. For there was
 always with Mrs. Carlyle, a glove to
 throw into the arena; but there was no
 crossing of rapiers. Lady Harriet was
 too serenely secure to take note of
 Mrs. Carlyle's hostility-or, armed
 with passivity. Beautiful. original,
 gifted and with unlimited social power. Lady Harriet was undoubtedly secure! That Mrs. Carlyle could be just. even
 when pricked by personal jealousy
 and bittrness, she showed in letter
 to a friend.
 This Lady Harriet Barring she
 writes, whom we have just been Vls-
 itihg' Is the very cleverest woman out out
 of sight that I ever saw in all my me
 (and have seen all our distinguiis,hesei gu U
 authoressesO Moreover, she is full oI
 energy and sincerity, and has. an
 sure, an excellent heart. Yet 50 per