Letters of Thomas Carlyle, 1826-1836
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THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE >/ LETTERS OF THOMAS CARLYLE COPYRIGHT Bv CHARLES ELIOT NORTON LETTERS OF THOMAS CARLYLE \v\ 1826 — 1836 EDITED BV CHARLES ELIOT NORTON VOL. I 1826— 1832 ILontion M»Dt «ND PniNTK* PREFATORY NOTE The letters contained in these volumes have been selected from a great mass mainly ad- dressed to the various members of Carlyle's family. In the years in which they were written he had few important correspondents in the outer world. The letters as here given afford a tolerably continuous account of his life from his marriage to the period when his fame was about to be established by the publication of his French Revolution. Many interesting letters of these years appear in Mr. Froude's Life of Carlyle ; but they are printed with what in the work of any other editor would be surprising indif- ference to correctness, while the inferences drawn from them in Mr. Froude's narrative viii PREFA TOR Y NO TE arc soincliiiics open to cjuestion, sometimes unwarranted. In the editino: of this series of letters, as in ])receding xolumes, I have been greatly- assisted by Mrs. Alexander Carlyle. A small part of her share in the work is indicated by her initials affixed to some of the footnotes, C. E. N. Camhkioge, Massachusetts, xoth September i88S. LETTERS OF THOMAS CARLYLE I. —To his Mother, Scotsbrig, Ecclefechan. 2 I COMLEY Bank [Thursday], 19/// October 1826.1 My dear Mother— Had it not been that I engaged to let you hear of me on Saturday, I should not have been tempted to " put pen to paper this " night ; for I am still dreadfully confused, still far from being at home in my new situation, inviting and hopeful as in all points it appears. But I know your motherly anxieties, I felt in my heart the suppressed tears that you did not shed before my departure, and I write at present to tell you that you are not to shed any more. Jane has run upstairs for a few minutes to unpack the last remnants of our household 1 Carlyle's marriage had taken place on the 1 7th. VOL. I. B H \ LETTERS OF THOMAS CARLYLE 1S26 to spare, luggage : 1 have but a few minutes and must give you matters in the lump. Jack would tell you of our being wedded after the most doleful ride (on his and my in the Coach part) thither ; and then rolled off towards Edinburgh on Tuesday morning. Our journey passed without incident, and we arrived here in safety about nine o'clock, where a blazing fire and covered table stood ready waitmc: to receive us. On the whole I have reason to say that I have been mercifully dealt with ; and if an outward man worn with continual harassments and spirits wasted with so many agitations would let me see it, that when once recovered into my usual tone of health, I may fairly calculate on being far happier than I have ever been. The house is a perfect model of a house, furnished with every accommodation that heart could desire ; and for my wife I may say in my heart that she is far better than any other wife, and loves me with a devoted- ness, which it is a mystery to me how I have ever deserved. She is gay and happy as a 1 826 rO HIS MOTHER 3 lark, and looks with such soft cheerfulness into my gloomy countenance, that new hope passes over into me every time I meet her eye. You yourself (and that is saying much) could not have nursed and watched over me with kinder affection, wrecked as I am, by my movements and counter- movements ; all my despondency cannot make her despond, she seems happy enough if she can but see me, and minister to me. For in truth I was very sullen yesterday, sick with sleeplessness, quite nervous, billiis, splenetic and all the rest of it. Good Jane ! I feel that she will be all to me that heart could wish ; for she loves me in her soul, one of the warmest and truest souls that ever animated any human being. Yesterday and to-day we have spent in sorting and arranging our household goods, and projecting our household economy. She calculates at the moderate scale of ^2 per week : I am to give her two pound notes every Saturday morning, and with this she undertakes to meet all charges. At this rate, which astonishes myself LETTERS OF THOMAS CARLVLE 1826 far more than her, there can be no fear. She seems Thrift itself as well as Goodness. Of men or women we have yet seen none except the maid, a neat tidy damsel ; so of Tait or any other business I cannot speak one word. You 7}iay send the butter and the cheese, and a Jirkin (by and by I think) of your best oatmeal. Jane would not look at this letter, for I told her you so wished it. She sends her warmest love to you all. Is not mine still with you ? I have told her all that you said and looked that morning I went away, and she loves you all, along with me, and sorrows with me for your absence. My prayers and affection are with you all, from little Jenny upwards to the head of the house. Remember me to my Brothers, my trusty Alick (Jack must write) and all the rest. Mag and her sisters are not forgotten either. I will write again, when / have recovered my senses. Good-night, my dear Mother. Jane will write to you soon, so also will I you shall ; not want for letters ; or for love while there is life in me. Again I say 1 826 TO DR. CARLYLE 5 I will write when I have recovered [from] my bewilderment. Tell Jack to write to us in the I meanwhile ; and fear nothing. — am, forever your affectionate Son, ^ ^ i i . v^ARLYLE. II.—To Dr. Carlyle, Scotsbrig. 2 1 COMLEY Bank, Tuesday night [2^th October 1826]. My dear Brother— I write this to-night for two reasons. The first is : I have made Tait pay me ^50 of my stipulated money," which sum I forthwith delivered in to the Com- mercial Bank, with directions that it should there be delivered out again to "Mr. Alex- ander Carlyle." Scott will have word to that effect to-morrow morning ; and Alick, directly after that, will have nothing more to do but show his trusty face at the office, and be repaid ^ Some parts of this, and of the next letter, are given in patchwork by Mr. Froude, in his Life of Carlyle (i. 368, 369). The omissions and changes made by him are not indicated, but the tone of the letters is more or less affected by them, and his comment is misleading. As usual, the passages printed by him are defaced by errors of transcription. - A payment on account, for Specimens of German Rotnance, published by Tait. 6 LETTERS OF THOMAS CARLYLE 1826 his magnanimous advance to me, the nature of which I never think of without affectionate regret. Tell him not to delay in this (you yourself know from experience the way of largely managing it) ; then to write to me very soon, as he promised ; and to believe that I am his true brother, while I live in this world. My second reason is : that I would give sixpence to see you here yourself at this very moment. I want to speak with you about many things, iti cum frat^'e, ut ciun medico. When will you come ? Jane will be delighted to see you ; and for me your presence would be as a lamp in a dark place, hktie Jean she does not want for some weeks yet : but there is room enough and to spare for both. You perhaps might walk for economy's sake, and Jane could come in the coach. To this hour I dare not let myself out about my matrimonial views ; for I am yet all in a maze, scarce knowing the right hand from the left in the path I have to walk. To complete the matter I am still bilhis, and imperfectly supplied with sleep : no wonder therefore that ! 1 826 TO DR. CARLYLE 7 my sky should be tinged with gloom. I can- I not explain matters yet ; but by and by doubt not I shall see it all. Meanwhile tell my Mother that I do believe I shall get hefted^ to my new situation, and then be one of the happiest men alive. Tell her also that by Jane's express request I am to read a Sermon, and a Chapter with commentary, at least every Sabbath evening to my household ! Also that we are taking seats in church, and design to live soberly and devoutly as beseems us. Our Mother also, Jane says, is to come and see us, and we are not to be divided in heart, though separated in place. On the whole this wife of mine surpasses my hopes : she is so tolerant, so kind, so cheerful, so devoted to me ! O that I were worthy of her Why am I not happy then ? Alas, Jack, / a7}i billus : I have to swallow salts and oil ; the physic leaves me pensive yet quiet in heart and on the whole happy enough ; but next day comes a burning stomach, and a heart full of I that with bitterness and gloom ; for feel well 1 Habituated.