The Washington herald., 1907-09-15
Home OF THOMAS CARLYLE
London People Develop a Peculiar
Pronunciation.
NOu Can Call Cheyne Row What
YOU Please aud Not lie
Far Wrong.

am an admlrer Of Thomas Carlyle
and on my last visit TO London made
pilgrimage 10 Cheyne Row, says "a writer
in the Atlantic Monthly It was a long
distance from my room, in the neighb0r-
hood Of the British Museum; but who
minds riding on the top of a bus through
London streets, where every step is
history. and who doesn't Ike 70 ask
direction Of a London policeman? The
policeman at Trafalgar Square, whom I
asked for a bus % Cheyne (shayuel Row,
was at a loss for a moment, but when
I mentioned Carlyles house, 10 said
oh YOU mean Chine Row" I was a
bit surprised, for I had my pronuncia-
ton from one who had got his in Lon
don, he said. He too, was a Carlylean,
and had read "Sart0r" seventeen times.
carrying It around with him, when "a
young Methodist circuit rider. In the
breast pocket Of his coat, doubtless 20
keep it safe from the eyes Of h's pre-
siding elder Anyhow, the policeman put
me on the right bus the rest was sim
pie. I needed now only TO ask 20 be set
down at the nearest point 20 Chine"
Row. But the guard was puzzled till
I said was seeking Carlyles house, then
he said, "Oh, Chine Row. He let me
of at the right place, and I was soon at
my goal. The matron gave me fun free
dom Of house and garden, for seemed
10 be the only visitor that rainy August
afternoon, and I could inspect at my
leisure the interesting relics and me-
mentos Of the CarlyIes and read most
interesting authentic documents, such
as DisraelIs autograph letter offering
Carlyle the Grand Cross Of the Bath.
and the latter's dignided but grateful
answer declining II. The room of chief
interest 10 me was, Of course. the sound
proof study at the top Of the house, where
Carlyle could be at peace from the noise
of London, and whence he would descend
when he had read himself full. seat him
self on the floor in the sitting room
with his back against the chimney lamb.
light his pipe, and pour out, as it were.
molten lava from "a volcano Of eruption.
flood OF ideas upon Mrs. Carlyle It
was great afternoOn-but my story was
about the street name, and I had still
other experiences with that.
Chcyne Row opens into Cheyne walk,
and, happily Just rs I entered the lat
ter street q postman passed, whom I
asked about the house where George Eliot
died. He pointed it out CNO. q. and went
on 10 tell ne Of other historic houses
that I wanted 70 see, the sometime abode
OF Dante Gabriel Rossetu iNo. l0. and
the house where Turner died (No. 1l8.
Indeed this postman's brain was q
veTitable stOrehOuse OF information about
Chelsean antiquities and historic asso-
Citations, and he was as ready TO tell II
all as the Ancient Mariner. He was
pleased that / had just couae from Car
lyle's house, but most kindly corrected
my pronunciation Of the street name.
We call it 'Chay-De' Row, sir. You
would be interested, sir" he added. TO
see Scots come there sometimes and sit
on the stOop and shed tears about Car
lyle. I should indeed have been inter-
ested 10 see that, and I wondered what
Carlyles ghost thought about IT, But
there were other places to see. so invent
ing some polite excuse I moved on, and
soon met with another delightful biz Of
London courtesy. a man who seemed
10 be a common laborer had pointed out
across the street the locality of Turner's
house, but I could not find either the
number or the memorial tablet Observ-
lib ll4 DuL1itu movements, ne crossed
the wide muddy street, and pointed out
the tablet hidden under the overhanging
Ivy.
But I was not yet through with the
name Cheyne Row. At the dinner table
was telling my experience with the Do
liceman, the bus man. and the postman.
and asked, How do you call it, Mr.. Ham
ilton?" He was a retired Indian civi
service official whom we all found most
agreeable and we'll informed. why. 7
should say 'Chane' Row." he answered.
The maid. who was waiting at the table,
was evidently disturbed, and uneasy.
which was all explained when she knock
ed at my door after dinner TO say. "NIr.
Hamilton doesn't know. sir; he's lust
back from India; we call IL 'Cheene'
Row"
Mr.. Hamilton's pronunciation is the one
given OF the name Though not Of this
particular street, In the Century Die
tionary' and the postman's is that given
by Carlyle-pronounced "Chainie Row"
he writes TO Mrs. Carlyle (see Froude's
Life" ii, 2. 24q)-but certainly London
IS not agreed on the way 10 call II