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DUE

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TRINTED

GAYLORO

Cornell

PR

UniversityLibrary

4429.B87

The

"Sartor

resartus"

1924

013

of

a study
Carlyle,

4fin

fi^8

IN

THE

of Garlyle.
A

STUDY.

\^h
J.

BY

MACMILLAN

Sometime

BROWN,

Professor of English Language, Literature^ and History,

Canterbury UniversityCollege.

CHIsisTCHURCH, WELLINGTON,
2, Addle

WHITCOMBE

M.A.

Hill,

Carter

DUNEDIN

Lane, London,

TOMBS

"
x"

MELBOURNE

AND

E.G.

LIMITED.

WORKS

BY

of

Manual

THE

Literature.

English

1750-1850.

6s.

J.

Hight,

this

cloth,

price

pages,

Biographical

by

Appendix

M.A.

in

Studies

pansion,
Ex-

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Era

428

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PUBLISHERS'

much

So

benefit

lovers

and

of

has

Professor

derived

have

of

justified

felt

lectures

of

"of

delivered

Chair

the

it

'but

imbued

all

that

sure

from

of

to

as

art

and

thought
thoroughly

and

finest

philosophy.

spirit

author's

obtain

would

place

enable

in

the

the

become

and

which

this

complete

Student

development

feel
we

work

assistance

considerable

subject

masterpieces,

provide

and

book,

tenure

the

created

for

publish

were

who

Examinations

will

to

which

English

student

it

These

its

already

forming

of

which

readers,

the

been

was

Studies.

of

the

to

in

Public

general

Brown's

comprehend

literature

for

as

Professor

the

candidates

well

prescribed,

the

with

studies

right

the

classic

very

difficulties

unusual

presents

thoroughly

The

among

literary

Resartus,

during

the

essays

the

securing

College

ranks

these

Teachers,

have

Sartor

Literature.

English

of

in

Canterbury

at

those

that

Carlyle's

on

"

"originally

from

Brown

we

Students,

University

generally,

Macmillan

that

series

by

literature

J.

published,

the

been

English

of

PREFACE.

treatment

Teacher

and

of

English

is

CONTENTS.

PAGE

and

Index

vii

Summary
...

...

The

I.

Childhood

and

Birth

of

"""

"".

...

Teufelsdrockh

and

Carlyle

i
...

Youth

The

II.

...

...

...

...
...

Education

and

and

Carlyle

of

Teufelsdrockh

24
...
...

III.

The

...

Manhood

Early

...

...

and

Teufelsdrockh

of

'

48-

Carlyle

IV.

The

and

of

the

in

Life-Struggle

VI.

of

Teufelsdrockh

Carlyle

72
...

...

V.

Heart

The

Philosophy

The

Practical

of

...

...

...

Clothes

Application

96

of

the

Philosophy

of

Clothes

VII.

The

11"

Final

Result

of

the

Philosophy

of

Clothes

144

INDEX

I.

The

"

AND

Birth

SUMMARY.

Childhood

and

Carlyle.

AND

(l). In
and

the

autobiography
shadow

of

what

he

by

more

deliberately
out

Tj"eep

When

through

liver

in

autobiography
(7). The
and

frequent
mission

work

anT

of

he

efforts.

the

(10).

one

little

lays

(II). Andreas
of

his

deep

religious

Ecclefechan

with

The

(13).

throws

And
most

the

every
as

round

training

halo

his

Nature

halo

make

it is in
upon

light of

detail

of

his

model.

childhood

our

the
common

childhood

stage of

our

day.

the

to

the

(r4).
he

sees

In

his

spite

how

hard

lives.

dreams
As

from
we

her

distant

of
a

the

; and

man

halo

the

it was,

the

that

and

love

recede

and

utmost

hero, taking that

of

is

picturesque.

life of

only by his. mother's

that

fostermother

more

considers
and

of

nature.

All-father.

(12). Entepfuhl

her

character

village life

the

in her

he

childhood

of

from

mother.

is

considers

the

house-discipline, and

it ; but

no

he

the

watchful

of

Diogenes,

that

round

had, tempered

he

and

vigour

spasmodic

of

Carlyle's

understanding

in

boyhood

own

(9). For

pungency

the

be.

is

feeling,

environment

importance
paints

kindly

her

aspects needed

mountainous"

he

with

|
Carlyle. |

of

their

but

years.

features, the

environments
but

had,

earlier

the

against

to

life
it.

ambitions

his

and

"grandfather;

FufterariSTSTlyK'S

hero,

of
round

name,

so

genealogy

on

his

baptismal

important

most

stress

meant

life

only thirty-six;

was

expresses

preached

and

ptQcppdJVmin

humour

own

he

early

autobiography

exactly

self

complexion

nature

commanding

the

(8). The

self-portraltufe,even
of

his

is

he

halo

more

hero

the

as

and

his

when

men

its

oT^uT

vie.

failure

thrown

general

if it is not

He

Resartus

gloom,

gives

hysterical

name

Sartor

comparative

offensiveness

t^

illusions, as

existent

(3). When

history

bv

Teufelsdrock^

he

alters

colours.

(4). BuTlhe

the

its

of

name

his

wrote

contrastive

taken

writer
he

the

by

his real
of_fiction;_he_lets

his

and

is vitiated

what

by

vitiated

more

Carlyle

their

(6). Yet,

and

sluggish

than

mask

truth

(2). The

present.

unresgjy_edly.

more

(5).
but

historical

omits

adopts
more

becomes

the

Teufelsdrockh

of

it

stoical

piety.

ancestral
from

his

of

memory

what

and

so

past

they

die

(15).

play
into

viii
(16).It

motherhood,

is

SUMMARY

AND

INDEX

of

its infinite power

with

that
self-sacrifice,

best the
past most tenderlyand weaves
it is motherhood, Carlyle
the generations.(17).And
bond
between
feels,that best represents the parentalheart of Nature, and draws
from Heaven.
(i8).The best religious
its sanction and inspiration
and
feelings

of the

dreams

these

nurtures

instincts

II.

The

"

in

have

we

Youth

us

are

got

at

mother's knee.

Education

and

Carlyle

of

TeUFELSDROCKH.

AND

periodof life as
and is supposed to end as abruptlywith leaving
that of longclothes,
when
school or university
as it began with the alphabet. (2). In truth,
finished scholar is
education is over, it is then that it begins. The
definite

(i).Education,in popular language,is as

finished

in

than

senses

more

And

one.

death

is

the

final

only

abiturienten-examen.

(3). Yet
world

from

the soul
to

the discipline
of the
in differentiating
is accuracy
of
of school.
For the latter has thejjssues
the discipline
there

andjharacter stillsoft

educate the

of animal

being out

content

deal with and

and

may

go far

idleness into strenuous

the progress of the world

is in the
of the teachingprofession
purged of all
; .and tillif is drastically

self-control.
hands

to
plastic

and

(4).To

and

mechanical ^utine
will continue
ruthlessness

some

characterlessness

to be slow.

of the

extent

(5).But

that progress
of the

is in school also much

there

existence

strugglefor

unwisd'om

and

that characterises

the world.

Carlyleand his hero bore the full brunt of it. (6).None the
the discipline
for the sullen fitsof silence that brought
less drastic was
out into stronger relief their periodsof volcanic outburst.
(7).Their
omnivorous
best education
lay in their own
growing
reading and their ever(8).Their severest
introspection.
discipline
lay in the rough
their
school-fellows
them
the
at
handling
secondary school ; and
gave
the
Carlyle stronglyprotests against
tyranny of the strong in this
sphere,loudly though he lauds it in the sphere of the hero. {9).As
he-Cails--ta.aee
ihat_^hogl^ASbu^ a section of the great world, wKre
for the survival of the fittest,
he failed
so
might is rightin the stru^le
of thebirch during_liis
to dispensewithjiberaj
career
agplications
as
a
teacher.
He feltJhere was
somethingwrong in the teachingpro^sion
And

both

selection
anffTKeTrequent

of the weakest

but, filce^ihost

could

not

he

makes

demning-his
that taughthim

others,he

own

relation to
the
generally
for

teachers

mathematics.

the

character,and
good mathematical

time, doubtless

absolute

truth.

But

fascinated
doubt

and

For

and

suggest

the

remedy.

teachingof

(10). In

this

con-

subjecthas

mathematical

good

teacher.

by

characterless for it ;

exceptionin favour of those

an

the

most

He

followed up the

its exactness

life swept him

and

study

its appearance

past it.

no

scholar is

of

INDEX

(li). His

AND

SUMMARY

greatest schoolmaster

IX

at school

as it
experience,
lives,especially
sorrow
the first dead
over
of their household, and
them
the
need
taught
and
the yearning for solitude. (12). Solitude
if Carlyle had
was,
''^^
essential
of the development of his Talents and
''ii"^.?-'''fet
his career.
But the difficulty
of findingaiiraudience gave him many
a
He
could not
the pu]pitjbut he longed jbrjts secular
enter
pang.
he -makes-his. hero a professor
analogue,the professoiial-chaif^andof
things in geiastal,._a_clear
ofhU
and'
career!,
own
prediction
destiny
{TffTThisembryo ideal professor,
in him bringsthe lash'da^nTiearti
his own
on
university.(14). In his universityagain, as in his
secondaryschool, it was his environment and his books that gave him

that of his hero.

was

Sorrow

even

crept into

was

their

'

"

his

educ?.tion. The

truest

strengthened his character

Ishmael
him

whilst

S_Qfltch_Student

the

democracy

of

undistinguishable
poverty

around

the instinctive arrogance

of talent in him, and his love
of the livingspirit
in them soothed
and veiled
especially

suppressed

of books

and

his

rebellious

soul.

and

turnedThe

universe

(15).Ilis thoughts rose

eighteenthcentury spiritthat spoke from
into

(16). In Carlyle'smind,

the

of power
within him without an
sense
him
displayit in developed his irony and made
a
young

to

arena

Spartan training of
; the

working
freedom

that

the

mechanism.

iiiall the Western

as

against the
chairs
professorial

revolt

world, a,

ferment

was

recreatinglife and civilisation._^,Elfie,d.Qm,

career,Jfragdomo"Jhtiugh,tr-wasJJie.u,ltiaiate-end,Q"jJi"

of

has

dead

in

been

IJlitin; _but,instead^fatj^aining
this,the European mind has swung back
) towards
despotism,not the old despotismof autocracy and aristocracy,
".but the new
despotism of so-called free and popular governments,
down
Iriveting
'

with

the rule of

I a lifeless universe.

he

helped

strove

livingheart
III.

The

"

(i). The
as

or
means

to

Manhood

choice

been

ascertain

of

the

poor

to
spirits

is

made
the

is oftenest

deliberation
and

now

to

test

talent
means

of the nature.

Teufelsdrockh

of

career

from

anything,it

attitudes

their down-trodden

turn

Early

selection

effort has

againsta dead God in

growing worship of might that

And, in spiteof the

with
to foster,he wept

to

{if).Carlyle ro^e

for .freedom

and

the

freedom

sorrow-

and

the

of the world.

Jar ^removed

(2). The

'

much

so

and

the souls of all.\

on

fervour
revolutionary

this hew

laden

some

that

and

and

like the choice

wisdom

as

right,oftenest
proportionsof the

then

the

is to dominate.

exactly
(4). For

this

of

action
wrong.
various

(3).Yet,

if

calf-love,
can

For

be.
no
^

faculties/

education!/

and:
powers
destinyhad narrowed

discoveryof

Carlyleharsh

Carlyle.

the

INDEX

the choice
either

of

and

unorgamsedor

the school ; the others

and

the church

to two,
professions

inchoate

were

SUMMARY

AND

made

largedenianJs

too

out the clerical career

(5). His parents marked
purse.
doubt and distaste for the creeds, and, at last,chance

the

on

for him

; but

kept him

of

out

of unprofessional
pulpit,though leaving him stillto the profession
open to him ;
pulpiteering.(6). The scholastic seemed the only career
financial basis as a professionfor a beginner.
for literature had
no
the

from
strap fell finally

(7). The

acquaintancewith

his hand

at

Irving, with

Edward

Kirkcaldy, where

Gibbon's

he made

Decline, and

with

creedlessness.

began the fierce struggle in Edinburgh for a profession,

for subsistence,for health, and for faith. (9). Slowly he found his way
into" the ^ofessionof literature,at first by hard
work, articles in
(8). Then

But it all
and translations.
unilluminatingbiographies,
encyclopaedias,
helped to develop his character and style. (10). He spent some^yeari
made
in tutoring,and
sundry attempts to gain a platform for his

teachingin
his

chair
professorial

incident
(11). One amorous
his history of Teufelsdrockh.
the

Blunaine

story in the
realism

whilst, like

most

young

men,

he had

of the heart.

romances

"

that

'^epjsodeis
Reminiscences.
are

in his

(12).

Kirkcaldy life figureslargelyin

And

the

fictitious

atmosphere

of

realitythan the Margaret Gordon

(13). It is mspired with passion and

nearer

by his copious philosophy and

scarcely dimmed

sentiment.

(14). Herr

his hero
tutors, is evidently Charles
Towgood, whom
BuUer, and Carlyle's
experiences with the young
Englishman and his
aristocratic relatives are liberally
in his Sartor Resartus.
drawn
on

struggle for existence is minutely painted in " Getting

Under
not till long after writing his Sartor
Resartus
And
did
Way."
he gainhis chair of Things-in-General
in the Universityof Who-KnowsWhere.
(16). He had to hobble
through the nondescript period of
earlymanhood Jbeforehe could reach firm ground. (17). He flounders
in the^crosscurrents, the meeting of the waters
of youth and manhood.
(18). He had to acknowledge the ridiculous follyof this period in his
life. (19). He felt that,though with nothing but chaos within, he
own
ready to make all creation anew.
ovas

(15).His

IV.

"

The

Life-Struggle

in
AND

(l).Two

movements

(2). In

something that

grows

OF

mingle
human

the

Heart

of

Teufelsdrockh

CaRL\LE.
in

integrati
disevery life, integrationand
life the
to
evolve
integrationseems

independentof

the evil from

which

it sprang

and

INDEX

AND

SUMMARY

resistsdisintegration.
{3). Not

that

disintegrantelements

Lecqmes embruted

of

and

and

Resartus

that it has

with the
struggles
yields to them and
everlastirijr
strupyleand
no

It often

system.

(d1. Without

feeble.

is dead
growth, the spirit

(S). Such

the

XI

asleep.

or

desperate conflict of the spiritis depicted in Sartor

is Carlyle's
own.
(6). He puts the reader off the scent

in the love
as
by introducing compositeincidents and personalities,
is
but
the
spiritual
history minutely autobiographical.(7).
episode;
'"

So"omj)f^Teufdsdrbckh_" depictsCarljde's
wandef -years, and
the close approach he made
to despairand-Snicide.
(8j.He fled,like
from
the shadoyys of his own
hisTiero,
from _the shad_ow,.ofthe
past,_^
The

dark_ above him.

(9). The heavens were
plague of doubt.
much
of liver as of faitji.(10). His liver and
Yet it was
as
a (question
his"Eiithwere
possessedof devils ; both of which_he_ deted- by turning
he freed from them and entered
to action,to work
; and thereupon was
the heritageof upright and fearless.
marfSgod. (li).He reached
on
immedicable

of all faiths
truths"atJheISsis

the

Against infinitude
beneath

shows

the

he

andean attitutejof
Jolerance to all.
the insignificance
of man
and his works, and

saw

and

phantasms

historyhe

of

came

to

recognisethe

paralysingsense

of

necessity,of

eternal jcerities.

(12). Then
the

came

omnipotence

with

of

freedom

of duty,

denial

by

the

will.

tKmsJormeSjKsm
that

is the

every
immediate

(15).But

makes

the

the

divine

its

nature,

soul

of the

master

if

revolution

must
on

universe

of the

This

duty, discover

handwriting

under

highest self-satisfaction

it.

by iW,

idea

pursuit of pleasure, and_by_the

point""^"view that duty givesisa_true

.and

secret
perennial

man's

on

solved

was

conflict

deny and

of the
new

higher forms.

higher and

to

seems

light the whole

tfienever-satisfied pursuitof pleasureinto

Heaven

self-renunciation is the
others

which

contradiction

abandonment

from

renunciation

the

This

(13). The

ofs^.

revelation

him

over

of environment,

and

is the divine

only

he

universe.

world
a

sublime

(14). For

self-sacrifice for

and

of its evolution

revelation

into

that is written

by trustingto his

would,

is

own^
j

in

occur
our

souls.

historybefore

our

instinctive

The

we

can

read

moralityand

religionthat grow up in us and around us from infancy must, for every

fall into ruin, and drag faith and even
the
thinking,developingspirit,
from
the only thing that will rescue
us
love of life with it. (16). And
that
The
us.
the hopelessgloom and
paralysisis the'duty
Iiej_before
iSSScoi
intense

long

our

new" and
faitB is rebuilt"oiirthe

to the work
application

before

we

the
distinguish

we

have
two

to

selves

sounder
do
in

basis of reason

in life.
us,

the

by

(17). It is not
one

clamant

and

affiliateswith
takes

and

the
it

to

gospel of

and

the senseof
divine.

and
originates

latter

victoryreligionremoulds itself
the
and
the J)rotherhood of man

in its

tenets

work.

(i). One

first

of the
the

to

Philosoi'hv

The

v."

relation

And

primary

as

(l8). The

duty.

infinite

but

modest

other

claims, the

in its desires and

infinite,

in renunciation

SUMMARY

AND

INDEX

Xll

the

questionsthat trouble
which

unseen,

Clothes.

of

of

soul

visible

in

realise unless

is difficult to

is his

man

And
the earliest effort of religionis to give itshape and form.
forms
crudest
fetish is. one
of the earliest and
visibility.(2). The
of the visible object of worship ; the idol or the form shaped by man's
of these.
All religionand all folk-lores bear traces
hand is a later.
own

character
the

on

higher embodiments

of the

(3). One

the ennobled

or

upward
the

outgrows

of

memory

of civilisation.

way

and

memory

has

spiritual
principleis a

of the

to

And

character.

(4). But
adapt it

the

spiritoften

thoughts that science has

transition stage of belief,maturity of
in order

to

avoid

Philosophy
guidance
new
religious

principleand

moral

of

the abandonment

new

her

in

supplied. (6). And,

the

needed

of

demands

beliefs and meralities.

scepticismsand the resultingnew
All
souls have to accept
reverent
pioneersreligion.(5).
in putting into
in the adaptationof the old to the new,
fbrm

far

this leads

human

the

to

noble

this

reason

is

reverence.

into
halfCarlyle'sattempt to throw
form "his. Struggle^^Uh douj)tand_his,
humorouSj__half-philpsophical
solution of the problem of religion.(8). His philosophyof clothes is

(7). Sartor __Resartus is

"B"BS3"on

the

contrast
everlasting

betweeh'TDody and

soul, and

it. In
spinT'witliin

Jthefiigthe

heTounds

the

he raises

(9).
I
it ebbs

between

between
finds

His
and

the
cue

philosopherwatches
flows

along the

humanity underneath
Things-in-Generalin

of the

satire,on
book, and

the
on

second

the third

ireligion.

from
street

his attic the current

and

discovers

Thence

he

the coffeehouse

and

them.

realities,

inaterial universe, and, the

for his

autobiographicalstructure

of life ahff
his(philosophy

and

appearances

comes

the

down

prelectson

of clothes
poor shred
to his chair

as

of
of

the farce of life.

if we
include
in the^term
(10). Histoyjs^but^a_^uest}fln_of_clothes,
For not merely are
tools.
but
they the product of the human
spirit,
and
they achieve its comedies
tragedies,if not its whole evolution.
from
Adam's
at
and
Eve's down
to
the
(11). He
laughs
aprons,
and
and
the
in
at costumes
cook's,
bishop's
general ; and he finds the

rubbish-heap,into

which

is thrown

the

literature of the world

and

out

INDEX

of which

And

it

in human

between
and

the

and

the

(13). But

to

know

and

see

air is too

he falls
JjeiglitSj__And

habit.

on

difficult to

back

oh

clown

much

thev

(15). He

transcendentalism.

God.

Mystic

tbe orriniscience of science

thoughts and
soul

human
veil it

indeed

are

"

is the

mystery, and

sense,

all

and
relip^ion,
immortal

is not

logicbut

"

The

and

divine

in

dissatisfaction

'
-"

^^

age,

(16). For the

another

to clothe

the

as

energy

(2). And

whilst in the

the

mystery upon
of the

essence

and

cosmos.

progressive

facultyofwonder, wherewith

op

the

Thilosophy

Clothes.

being

involves

movements,

two

civilisation is

historyof Western
discontent goading man
on

books

the

for all time

the divine

to. reach
a

higherideals.
livingbooks of

to

restlessness of all

all ages is reflected.

Resartus

the divine
'"^^'(hows
us

new

vesture

reveals

its noblest

Application

self-conscious

unhappinessand

1.Sartor

soul,

it with, another

and
determination
with_existing_conditions,

better.

and
-Jioii

of the

creationjhe
protests against

he

is rnirrored in the great and

(3).T^ys^dmnkrestlfisaness
our

king from

into his native

vesture

but

are

shadow

the
imagination,

Practical

(i). Advance

record of

that it is

metaphor, and

in all its discoveries

OF

something

wished

end.
all phjlospphjMbegm^nd

and
religion

VI.

the

"

of wonder.

mstrumeni_of_science,in

the

he

by nature,

science
own

who

finds

antbnritY

"r

scorn

Absolute, the face of the Deity. (17). We

'True aiid_rsveignt,
of God.
science
of the shadows

one

allyof

(18). For

of

descendentalism

is

and

the

over

but

its

and

of its

out

weaves

hangs

he

God

metaphysical
cease
laughing
and
familiarity

criminal,and

jout of

woven

that

discovery of

the

"

veil

idealism.

Adamites

flesh is the heaven-woven

languageJihe^eBtureof ideas
of

iP"iypr

His

from

passes
The

soon

"f

syrnhnlg

are

the

We

us.

of where

canhor

at the

it.

these

on

and, Eve.,. For

Uie^aprons^of_Adam.
;

vesture

forms

rid his mind

has

by

being. Only

Kantian

breathe

and

is,therefore,a

the

satire.^ He

will for

our

own

Berkeleyan and

absurdityof clothes,once he
.-^P'l
yet he laughsas
_.(i4).^

'doff even

our

monarch

dailymoulded

There
of

world, the fountain

is the true

without

clothesthatdistinguish the judge from

the

of the

us.

absolute,the shadow

Carlylestrikes

Here

with

bring

we

disembodied

the

the

the paper

life ; for the newspaper

only what

us

when.

at

XUl

(12). The human

imaginationis
power.
the
the
IS
imagination, fantasy,that creates

in life

see

SUMMARY

the rags that make

come

of movement
motive

AND

boldly raises the veil from the face of existence

depths of mtgjiingin it. (5).The

philosophy

INDEX

XIV

SUMMARY

AND

clothes,mere
development of a metaphor though it is,put the old
and sympathetically
that it compelled attention
problems so strikingly
of them.
whimsical
humour
to its solution
Carlyle ap(6). With
proaches
of

gistof

the

suit of the founder

l^sesof

his

of the

life and

the

crusade

Quaker

in

us

and

cast

when

of the

growth

with

(8). Symbols,

^su"glyhim

with

and

long

for
and

silence

in_existence.

He

out

sermon

closes

his

with

sermon

primal

conventions

themselves
but

are

for

become

thegarments_

antiquatedjn,feshiDn5-or-

and

their

gospel

in

worthy

mystic meaning,
It is the

of silence.

that is the

is

all that

the

to it^
somethingjiK)re_su[ted

in the universe

comes

leather

the leather suit and

even

or

the

on

the

to

and

would

creeds. Carlyle holdSj

worn

down

got

their,superficial
show

man

quaint text,

trammels

organism demands

text

in

deep

Fox

fashions

off when

of religion,to be

silent element

sect.

from

from

(fashions.
r

of

though perhaps

freedom

for

Churches

the

means

preached freedom

holiest
thejalcS^irthe,

gospel by

another

eternal,and
thought, in

of,

out

action
,

protest against the

mechanical

theory of the cosmos.

(9). If mechanism
were
eyerythiog,
and calculation
then
the_whole duty_gLman,
there_shouldbe -no-such
the
stirring
individual,the nation, the race Jo
thing__as
the_symbol,
transcendent effort. (lo).
the

the

as

gjijgs

symbol

superficial
compared
he

is

The_^mier

with

of

deeper than

facultyof

the

the

symbol

of

patriotismand

Christianityare

the

everlivingfountain

an

as

hero
of

as

new

observation

merely external and

the symbol of God.
(11). For
and
he
finds
his
symbols,
source

can

reach.

~j

(12). But, great though the virtue of silence ispand all-curative the
of the hero, Carlylefeels that they have littleor no
power
bearingon the
e.verpressing probleno-of
Swiftean

the sustenance

'

So,

povettv.

proposalto salt down

the

one

of

relieves

Malthus

at

sneer

only immediate

and

education.

necessity,and

He

fails to

the other

The
socialistic remedies
of our
gangrene.
and
as
He
is safer and
superficial
(13.)
temporary.

from

he becomes

prophecy

satirical ; yet

he

cannot

no

day

nearer
are

surer

here

in

' '

doom's

thunder.

should

as

the

one

recognise him

means

consists of

is that

creator
as

its

the
out

"

the satirical philosophyof

(i4).jReturniHg^to

the^tailor

as

his

refrain

predictsthat dandyism and drudgism will, as

negativeelectricities of the social atmosphere crash

positiveand
before long in

1 he

even

gets

that

see

he

of able-bodied
for'
superfluity
paupers
bringsthe fashionable -panaceas of his

social

when
footsteps

and

the

workhouses, he
dayjo bear, those of emigration
the

after

clothes he looks

upon

of

society,and thinks that the world

^T^**^'!
hierophant,if not divinity.
tne

government,

and

nothing_butclothes. .^Yet

church,
he

in

fact

a^^^^(4i the

girdsagainst|

(
/

AND

INDEX

wa^d

the state

make

faith in such

no

SUMMARY

all the

cute

and

evils of the

substitutes

panacea
purgativeof revolution.

thsjithe

XV

world.

He

(16). His

and

panaceas

had

really
hero-cure,and

for it firsthis

those of his

^ '^^i"?-^AlJ3fi"c}othesJhe
laughed a{. They have
^6^^2?^S-5tJ!y^P^
to
socialism, labour-laws, and_other legislative.Sjivenway
.patent
m^icines; which will also have their day, and then be shojwnup

quackery.

mere

(ij).Carlyle's
hero-salve,his
For

it proposes

It would

release the

(18). To

the

than

human

nature

its evils

means

is

homoepathy

administered

unless

if

ways

could

we

too

that

in the minute

will

doses

only
of the

find the proper hero, the cure

fashionable
recent
more
cures

all the

are

perhaps as bad as any.

of might and violence.

of the beast that is in the hero.

violence

disease,as

and

by

us

by

(19).Even

courts.

worse

in

god

community,

the ancient

to

violence

cure

poison the
law

to return

last resort, is

and

if

even

is
of

effective,
they are

but

temporary expedients.

(20). They

all leave

not

VII.

"

conditions

of the

sphere of

not

miracle

conversion

of

all the rest, and

warms

or

and

not^ in_th"

The
mass,

it

sweepinglegislation.
Philosophy

the

aims

(l). Every system of human

and

individual

untouched.

with the purification

of the heart
rights,
all such changes are
alone.
And
out of the

Result

Final

The

the

disease

the

with

sudden

or

of

source

is within

kingd"im_ofheaven
beginswith duty and
and

the

has

life with

its solar centre

them.

Clothes.

of

(2). So

that illumines
the

prophet

or

philosopher is the solar centre of his time or country, givingit heat and
elevates him so far and
lightfrom his high place above it. (3). What
him so central in his influence is his transcendent
makes
problem that
draws

him

out

of the

sphere of

thought.

common

elaboration of the metaphor of clothes into a satirical

(4). Carlyle's
philosophywas not all he had written his book for. (5). He had his
destructive work

to

do, like all reformers, before

he

could

rebuild

his

he
as
(6).But he had a positivegospel to preach. Much
his gospelon evolution,
he based
afterwards antagonised Darwinism,
(7.) All is unityand
the organic growth of the_new out of .the old.
his
basis
of
gospelis that'mankind
^cominunity.And another primary
is isolated or free from influencing
or
being influenced
man
is one
; no
the significance
of \
on
by all. (8). These two lead him to insisting
of doing the duty that lies to hand4^
everythingwe do, and the necessity

ideal.

as

best

towards

we

may,

in order

perfection.

that

we

may

not

obstruct the progress

of all

INDEX

XVI

(9). He

the chief occupation of

as
reject war
assert
to
scanty knowledge of philology led him
far

as

goes

; but

hero

SUMMARY

AND

his

the

to

as

the

''

man.
(lo).
rightof theking as the preternaturallyknowing
that
the
He
allows
so
exceptions to the divine right of kings,
many
ultimate
is
the
the exception. And
rule becomes
"might is right"
"

divine

basis and

tunately^he

the

flourishing"like

readers

diabolic

much

(12).

m^acie

heroic

takes

He

is but

revision

mystery

and

fact hides

of

mystery

in

specialtime
fantasy, give us

and

hide

our

life and

have

so

deep

that
time^sffiSow
dead.
told
on

And

by

an

shadows

the

idiot."

can

(19). Why
of that which

never

the_spritofman
eternal
laeyonTiTthe

know
stands

(13). A"
to

the

but
zone

(14). And
The

this

commonest

familiarity, (ij).

faculties and

our

us

flash between

the

that

the

with
the

out

And

so

senses

spirit. Death
soul.

trust

Nothing
cosmos,

we

time

and

the-

brief is
to

find

only

ij"onlya
dies

the reports ofour

veil of

the

of

seem

life is

their time-shadows

and

and

dart

it that

(18). The

we

Remove

We

bound

spiritinforming the
should

time-shadows

the disembodied

eternities.

discover

over

they

divine

science

related

life.

spirit. (17).

spiritto

the

as

vision,and

scalpel.

of

from

darknesses

there

leaves^hk__

godhead.

the veil of

shed

its continuance.

is not

and

bad,

are

thoughts
and
Memory
hope, inspired by
and
disspaced thought and life.

own

throw

the

of

every

rend

we

that hide
our

senses

of

_surrounds

of

the limitation

the

are

of

if there

the existence

us

there

all he

Botlv^re

has^pnly
spiri^

it takes

thingsoffense;

that

of distimed

darkness,

guarantee

no

shortness

specialplace.

from

into the

our

distance

It is these

space-shadows.

his

pomts

But

worship. Nature

true

temple

it,if only

the

(16). In_death

He

and

After

the

mystery

foretaste

good

of

Goethe.

knowledge.

mysteries is

divine,nay,

as

probing

darkness

to

guides.

as

medley

sufferingas

limited

contradictory
distinguishthat

human

Goethe

his

as
we

are

positionsbe

two

jnHgpipnt.

confessionu of

ofour

is within

darkness

How

in

nwn

immensity

of infinite darkness

to

wisdom

rubbishas

oracular

wicked

the

over

the

can

commonplace

journals, a libraryis

revelation, and

The

the

even

to the guidap'''' "f hU

reader

the

or

Psalmist

How

Unfor-

Heaven.

from

the

as

and
journalism,literature,

to

journals and

is^as

is

answer

the_godlike.

Reverence

the

like

woj;ds,jvhateyer_Qr

other

comes

tree."

bay

green

(ii). His

reconciled?
wisdom.

and

often

too

mourns

In

assertion.

succeededjs. right

has

whoever

from

his

of
justification

and

is

or

"

tale

senses

space-

space,

and

revealec[_xn ifOmtnortality,snTlakoyeand.

spirit ot the

cosmos.

I.

THE

BIRTH

AND

CHILDHOOD

TEUFELSDROCKH

When

he

and

natural

the
to

its

see

others

free

faculties

own

right

annihilatTng
the

further

transfigures

faces.

the
But

purify

or

as

her
she

glorifies.

distance

features

most

lies

with

colours,

easily

under

truth
a

And
she
and

near

that

presence
of

that

bids.

The

obtrusive

is

mind

past

xjsj^^themore

unpleasing
the

It

in

the

under

past

an

bring

human

upon

transforming

and

will

forms-^liance

moves

the

has

immediate

thrusts

or

eliminate

movements

embellish

Memory
and

which

there.

the

and

it is

But
to

transgresses.

imagination

he

find
of

in

to

may

cannot

prerogative

flattering light.
this

he

as

elements.

year

distorting media,

that

colour

the

of

he

autobiography,

imaginative

account

strive

writes,

prejudice
a

introduce

his

CARLYLE.

his

writes

man

to

into

Even

AND

fail

cannot

OF

into

haze

our

that

BIRTH

THE

takes

glow and
lights.Against

it

to

extraneous

and

is Rembrandtised

into

the

urgent

immediate

of the

from

splendour

harassments

OF

CHILDHOOD

AND

beauty

and

gloom
it

present

happiness.

autobiography is
into fictitious or mythicalform does this
thrown
It gives
prerogativetake liberties with fact.
the meanest
the noblest interpretation
to
even
annals, omits the lurkingshadows, and throws
halo round
the dry and commonplace details.
a
into this semi-mythic historythere comes
Yet
more
lightfrom character than would flow from
the unveiled
ego of pure autobiography. The
mind
shrinks
from
revealingits inmost secrets
the passer-by. He
is a singularcharacter,
to
2.

Still

would

who
every

daw

the curtain

"

his heart

wear

to

the

when

more

peck at,"

of death

though

even

would

fall between

such

highway criticism. And

and
biographisthas reserves
\
the undiscriminating
public.
he

withdraws

pictureby

this fact,or

by that.
world

is

adherence
best

he

He

more.

in

its

to
can,

portraitfree

its

vision, how
own

blurs

him

In

or

and

giving much,
not

how

to

his

mar

pretation
misinterthe

crass

obstinate

in

distortions of fact.

therefore,he

from

knew

autoevery
timidities before

his life

knows

he

for

so

will

open

He

his sleeve

upon

makes

stains.

his

its
As

self-

TEUFELSDROCKH

3. It

is

not

AND

permitted a veil
He can
laugh at

his

watch
in

deep

yet fear
ever

no

the

is.

He

he

has

character, till the

which

mask

and

and

involved

attractive

than

made

the

character

have

creep

it ;

We

more
j,have

they'cmaracter
we

have

in his

creation's

holy

statements

his

to

of
it

the
own

which
a

the
far

is

subtle

biographies,
auto-

deep
more

historyof a self
lightsand shades
guarded
through the unthat would

author

else

glowing

more

valuable

of the

the

for it

fictitious

imagination,emotions
been
shy pass into the

passages.

than

into

and

is thus

makes

finer

being

not

revelation

unconsciouslythe

And

too

refugebehind

knows

unmasked

go
raise

like

spiritthat

keep

to

criticism

reality.There
irony in such

and
of

may

own

take

reader

his

they should

harsh

or

behind

ceases

shrine of his

ever

may

which

mysteries

He

He

his but his

not

of holies.

of

he

as

very
irreverent

seems

mask

sheltered
public,

self-revelation.

from

curtain

is
self-painter
his egoism.
cover

to

his words, lest

over

the

of fiction

fictitious creation
a

when

SO

CARLYLE

truth

cerning
con-

in fiction

of fact.

is
youth, a man
concerning his own
in a fictitiouspicsubjectto illusions,especially
ture
of it.
It becomes
the years
as
glorified
proceed. For the shadows fall deeper with the
4.

But

THE

be

to

he

Undoubtedly

6.

in

most

his Teufelsdrockh

means

self-portraiture
professedthat it was
painfulthing to have
by a
rudely handled

respects

although he afterwards
mostlymythical. It is

and

past discussed

one's

OF

CHILDHOOD

AND

BIRTH

publiconly half sympathetic; and it was

for him
to think that the autobiographyhe
forth

given

fiction.

but

was

Yet

he

easy

had

never

were
true,
spiritual
insight""
and^ struggle,
of internal discipline
its'^ctures
and
shadows
thrown
the human
its lights
on
Of
nature
peculiarto characters like himself

this

its

that

denied

least

at

incident

or

we

be

may

sure,

that w^herever

trait in the life of his creation

in his

an

tallies

acknowledged life,we may

the whole
those
accept its surroundingsas on
himself to give it. We
that he wished
might
even
go further and say that the picture was
far as
much
it was
as
truer,
self-portraiture
than any he could have drawn
of his youth and
at a later stage in the
earlymanhood
ment
developwith

one

own

of his character.
7. The

attitude

very

which

assume__t^wards
of his method
sins.

And

of

name

his

Carlylemeant
the

at

world, and

of treatment

though
and
gained disciples

hero

of

that
the

the

time

to

nature

its frivolities and

in after years,
won

reveals

when

he had

fame, he might have

TEUFELSDROCKH

been
or

ashamed

for assafoetida and

smell

bitter

and

of

untruthful

is the
its

German

strength

It is acrid

and

and, though probably this fact

to

parallelgarlicin
he well describes
his

peculiargenius.

expresses

offensiveness.

taste

unknown

was

of his

Teufelsdrockh

surname

word

CARLYLE

of it,it still gives no

exaggerated report

The

of

AND

Carlyle,it is used
French
cookery.

the pungent

humour

like

By

its
this

in which

that often
indulge,humour
if not
into offensive
into repulsiveness,
rose
when
his indignationwas
roused.
coarseness,
side of
Nay, it not inaptlydescribes the worst
in those
revealed
his character, as
unlucky
Froude
which
Reminiscences
publishedafter his
death ; there he seems
to
repel all, to have
but
his own
relatives.
sympathy with none
its use
spasmodic
antias
an
Perhaps he also means
in
have
its parallel
in medicine
to
himself and his book, though this may
approach
to mere
too
near
fancy. It is given to patients
And
I
to
hysteria or convulsions.
prevent
chief aims
of
the
of Sartor\
certainlyone
was
Resartus, if not of its author through life,

it was

to

the

teach

not

to

stoicism

silent

duty ;
was

nature

the
to

and
true

rise

under

the evils of existence,

unspasmodic performance of
religionand function of man
revolt againsthis
in hysterical

THE

conditions, but
the

that

work

I known
is drawn

East

the

that

as

as

plant
resin

the dishes

itself flavours

his

in

of the

the

product

the offensive

luxurious

most

gourmands, he might have been more

it with such associations
introducing
for

physic

the

highlyrelished

and
vegetable,

he

Had

progress.
which
from

is

the

revolution,

not

of

watchword

his

was

word,

of the

evolution,

rejected

have

would

Carlyle
scientific meaning

him

before

was

though

steadily

earnestly and

do

to

OF

CHILDHOOD

AND

BIRTH

chary
as

of

simile

nature.

of his
baptismalname
hero, if it may so be called without irony,has as
much
Carlyleat that hermit-like
significance.
the moorlands
period of his life,when he roamed
far from
around
Craigenputtock,was
ashamed
of any
comparison with the strange
cynic philosopherof Greece, Diogenes. This
8. The

Christian

or

eccentric

of

contempt

of all luxuries and

civilisation
able

to

ancient

like

live

times

Carlyle at
thus

cupful of

water

process of
he became

kings,conquerors,

by

what

master

pirateand
trade

he

of

all amenities

this

period,he

minimum

the

on

and

as

had, he

food

of

the

by
and

slave

to

of
was

and

contrary

millionaires,

of the world.
sold

himself

trained

When
he

answered,

was

"to

taken
asked
govern

TEUFELSDROCKH

AND

CARLYLE

By his abilityto live without any

to his fellows,and
by his keen power
obligation
able to rule the souls
of satiric epigram, he was
he spoke ; by the one
of those
with whom
he independent of them, by the
facultywas
he
their superior and
other
was
governor.
men."

Alexander, the greatest ruler of his time,

visit him, and, thinking to conciliate
to

When
came

him, asked

him

the

he

answer

sunshine."

if he could

got

His

was,

austere

do

him

"Yes, stand

service,all
out

of my

to
life,his superiority

earthly conditions, his vigorous character, his

his sharp
penetration into the hearts of men,
him
drew
to
sayings and his acrid humour
world-wide
to
a
reputationand many
disciples
whom
he was
indifferent.
If any personality
of
to Carlylein our
[ancienttimes is parallel
own,
it is Diogenes, so solitary
does he stand against
the surge and current
of modern
civilisation,
so
close to the cynicalcomes
his universal protest

against modern
humour

and

tendencies.

His

often

biting

and
sweeping maxims
repartees
another
form
analogy. Whilst his self-centred
philosophyand disregardfor all dominions and
another
and gloriesof his day form
powers
counterbalanced
that is not
similarity
by his
his heroes
all
as
are
hero-worship,inasmuch
and^ gone
dead
and
incapable of settingthe

THE

lO

world

BIRTH

OF

CHILDHOOD-

AND

rights. It is easy offeringa panacea

has
the panacea
to
humanity, when
suffering
in the past, easy
vanished
commending
reirrecoverably
to

hero

the

as

to

man

the

save

sinkingworld, when he is past the prayers and

so
Carlyleis
appealsof his worshippers. And
Diogenes, protestingagainsteverything but
his
^

shadow.

own

That

something of this
choice of a name,
by Carlyle's
9.

double, appears

in

kind

meant

was

for his hero

and

direct way throughoutthe

book, but only in the dim half-felt atmosphere.
no

Naming he counted of the deepestimportance,

if not
of the
influencing,
moulding,the nature
child. At the close of the chapterin Book
II.
entitled "Genesis," he discusses the significance
of this name
and of names
in general; he believes
with the father of Sterne's hero Tristram

Shandy

that

names."
yoii wrap

there is much, nay, almost all in

"The
is the earliest
name
garment
"

round

the

Me ;"
earth-visiting

without, what

mystic influence

inwards

to

even

the

"

In

'

"

steal.'

And

and

hero

and

hence

he

one

not

the

very

gives to

from
send
whole

plainsense

thief and
his

solitariness like that of

satirical and

it

when

centre,

soul is yet intuitive !"

the proverb says
Call

does

"

he will

professor

Diogenes

bitter cynicism
occasionally

symbolisedby Teufelsdrockh.

TEUFELSDROCKH

But

lO.

the

AND

if the

Is

name

CARLYLE

1 I

importantin

his eyes,

birth

for little in
aiid_genealogy__couii.t..
weighing a character psychologically
; he says,

perhaps questionablewhether from birth

and genealogy,how
closelyscrutinised soever,
much
he
insight is to be gained." How
laughed in after-times when
heraldry-hunters
invented
a
pedigree for him, connecting his
ancestor-heedless, peasant-born father with a
far in the dim reaches
noble family of Carlyles,
how
he must
of the middle
laugh
ages ! And
if his soul can
now
penetrate into sublunary
in his
much
he
sees
so
things,when
space
this imaginary geneto
biographies devoted
alogy.
"it is

he

Proud
drew

his charter

of honest
was

to

man,

paint

of his peasant father,who

was

to

the noblest
God

from
him

as

that
of all titles,

Almighty ; proud he
hero
worthy by his

sterlingcharacter and love of work to subdue

And
the dominancy of evil in his littleworld.
he giveshis hero a birth and genealogy
hence
veiled
by a cloud from the vulgar eyes of^
be of quite
to
seems
ancestor-hunters; "he
obscure extraction ; uncertain, we
might almost
say,
never

whether
knew

his father
in

was.

emblematic

any," he
his father, never
of

And
way

thus
the

says

of

knew

him.

He
who

even

the satirist indicates

fatherlessness

of

all

THE

12

they acknowledge by

souls, unless
and

reverence

his

double
born

man

I,

and

these
and

all-father above

the

their

makes

he

virtue

apostrophizehis fellow-men,
of

nursing

Adam

mother,

thy nursing-father
thy true beginning and

mine, but

like

were,

than

father and

namest

"

more

The

knowest

thou

thou

whom

thou, any

hadst

woman,

father whom
Eve

OF

CHILDHOOD

AND

BIRTH

mother

father is in Heaven."
II.

old

Whether

Futteral

Andreas

of the hero,
wife, the foster-parents

and
are

his
be

to

it is
father and
mother
Carlyle's
hard
The
old grenadier of Frederick
to say.
the Great
is more
like his grandfather,old
Thomas
Carlyle, than the stern, thoughtful,

identified with

silent soul

of

his

father.

Border-type,fond
clear in his mind
is described

by

of

his

what

steel

serious-minded

Nights
Andreas

and

he

was

grandson

irascible,indomitable, of
of
springiness

"

sons

and

as

the

always
the right; he
"a
fieryman,
toughness and
to

by reading

the

of

old

not

he used

similar books
fond

of the

was

and
fighting,

to

as

He

shock

his

Arabian

in his old age.

Like

tellingstories of his
adventurous
life and
fightinghis battles over
again in chats with his neighbours or grandchildren.
And
probably, like the German
ex-grenadier,he was
disciplined
by his wife.
was

TEUFELSDROCKH

Gretchen,
much
of

Peggy

or

mother

own

watched

him

and

house-mother

true

cooked

as

CARLYLE

would

we

translate it,is

like the

more

his

AND

and

sewed

pictureCarlyleoften gives
all her fretting
she
; "for
hovered
round
him as only a
can;"
"assiduouslyshe
and

scoured

for hirn

"

and

could he give of his own

description
upbringingthan that he makes his hero give in
the chapterheadqp "Idyllic," "Let
not
me
quarrelwith my upbringing.It was
rigorous,
too
frugal,comprqssivelysecluded, every way
no

better

unscientific
domestic

yet

solitude

"".

that

strictness

very

qiightthere

lie the

not

?"
Above
deeper earneslfiess
unskilful soever,
loving,it
i| was

of

"my kind mother

altogetherinvaluable service ; she
honest

"

roots

all, how

"

meant,

and

well-

was

did

me

one

taught me,
less indeed
by wqrd than by act and daily
look
and
habitude, her own
reverent
simple
version

of the Christian Faith

with

true

uncultivated

woman's
sense,

was

heart
in

"

and

"my
fine

mother,

though

the

strictest tation
acceplays great stress on this

religious."He
Wouldst
atmosphere in his home.
religious
that knew, were
thou rather be a peasant'sson
it never
so
rudely,there was a God in Heaven/
that only knew
and in Man, than a duke's son
and
the
there
two
were
thirtyquarters on
"

THE

14

BIRTH

?"
family-coach
pride" as well

OF

CHILDHOOD

AND

Carlyle's spiritual
"

This

was

Teufelsdrockh's,

as

least in

at

earlier manhood.
he sometimes
paternaldwelling-place
of
idealises in his descriptionof the cottage
"a
bowered
Andreas;
painted cottage, emroomy,
His

12.

fruit-trees and

in
and

bleaker

forest-trees, evergreens,

honeysuckles." Nothing

and

barer

Ecclefechan

than

his

or

father's

his

farm

could
house

Mainhill.

at

be
in

En-

tepfuhl,or duck-pool,the poor little muddy

way-side water
compared with the great ocean
of the world, is his native
is
village,and
idealised
in the second
likewise
chapter of
Book

II.

the

for the

through it

ran

beech-rows."
the

sightsthat

tempests,
the

sound

or

realisation
with

and

of

break
comes

of

might stand
Entepfuhl,;and
stand

in

for the

among
throw

to

greeted his
hear

the

eye

Solway

propheciesof Atlantic

the

as

often

and

it he

the

need

not

could

hollow

across

glory

Cumberland
It is this

He

in the distance

out

that

that may

he did

the far horizon.

moan

"

there

gushing kindlyby,

But

halo round

Ecclefechan

tree

stream

"cowburn

German

on

old

old linden

brave

"

of

street

umbrageous

an

was

in

loud

could

West,
Southern

with
see,

the

their

tinged

hills

of

ring of day.
pictureinto the Idyllic

TEUFELSDROCKH

chapter;

AND

CARLYLE

15

fine

evenings 1 was wont to carry

forth my supper
(bread-crumbboiled in milk)
and eat it out of doors ; there (on the copingof
the orchard wall)
have I,looking
a sunset
many
"on

the distant

at

relish my

without
of

mountains,

western

and

gold

evening

day died,

expectation as
speech for me
their

gilding." It

and

Teufelsdrockh

the

world's
Hebrew

lookingat

was

had

an

for

eye

here, the

appears

nineteenth

of the

hues

embryo-poet in Carlyle

that

of the

sense

new

letters and
is the

of

still a

were

not

Those

hush

nevertheless

the fair illuminated

embryo-poet

meal.

that

azure,

consumed

century, full of

beautiful

that
spirit

lives

in Nature.
But

13.

he

acknowledges that much

happiness of childhood

beauty and
imaginary,due
dusty realities
his hero

of

sweet

of manhood.

rest

by

poets

are

wont,

He

pictureof
sweetest

the

is

the harsh
from

quotes

happy

dreams,"

but

season

and

full

but he

rose-coloured

such

the retrospect from

ecstatic

an

round

"danced

to

of the

it with this ; "In

qualifies
as
lightdoes our professor,

look

back

on

his childhood."

picturesfrom
proceedsto select idyllic
the harvest
He
remembers
his early years.
homes
of the farms
around, but changes them
of his
home
to
vintages to suit the German
Yet

he

THE

OF

CHILDHOOD

AND

BIRTH

of

yellow serge,"
and
indivisible,reaching from
"a
vesture
one
neck to ankle, a mere
body with four limbs
the dress of his own
was
boyhood. He had
friendshipfor cattle and poultry ; and his
remembrance
of the villageswineherd's
horn,
his rout
the
out
to
"sounding as he drove
sordid one.
Another
was
no
villageheath
suggestivemark of the times of day and night
and Edinburgh
the passage of the London
was
and
north
south ;
coach
the
Postwagen
(Stage-coach)northwards
trulyin the dead of
night,yet southward
visiblyat eventide," and
the thoughtof
at last bringingto the little mind
hero.

The

"

short-clothes

"

"

"

"

"

"

far cities

"

it

as

wove

shuttle into closer and

swallows

too

of time, and

them

"

monstrous

closer union."

brought ideas
the

like

broader

of

And

the wider

spaces

"

out

the

flights
of far

Africa

and
threading their way
over
seas
mountains,"
they yearly found themselves
with the month
of May
snug-lodgedin our
their ways
cottage lobby ; there he watched
"

"

of life and
social
nature

saw

instinct

the

marvellous

amongst

he studied

in the

workingsof

animals.

greatest

And

the

human

villageevent

of the year, the divergentmanners

of men
from
other districts ; this was
the annual
cattle fair,
with

its

"

its braying
unspeakable hurlyburly,"

TEUFELSDROCKH

CARLYLE

AND

hoarse
ballad-singers,

auctioneers,

17

vaulting

nut-brown
merry-andrews, top-bootedgraziers,

maids, its booths

marked

off for

and
the

shows.

child,

Thus

time

was

encircled

by the
mystery of existence, under the deep heavenly
firmament, waited
on
by the four golden
And
what
wider
seasons."
meaning to
gave
that told how
the world
these
scenes
flitting
stretched out and beyond his village,
the
was
"

"

narrative

habits of Father

Andreas,"

who

with

reminiscences, and

battle

austere,
yet
grave,
aspect, could not but appear
hearty patriarchial

much
enduring man."
Ulysses and
Eagerly I hung upon his tales when listening
neighboursenlivened the hearth" ; "a dim world
This
of adventure
expanded itself within me."
not
was
Carlyle's
narrative-lovingold man
the satirist
father but his grandfather.And
in boyhood of
fond he was
often tells us how
and
and
women
'the companionship of men
Incalculable
also was
the aged.
especially
the knowledge I acquired in standing by the
"

another
"

"

old

under

men

Immensity
these

was

reverend

the

linden-tree

yet

new

seniors

to

in

four

score

years ?"

life

that

the

whole

and

had

me

talkative

partialsurveys

employed

thereof

It is these

Carlyle considers

enough
for

of
not

been

nigh

details of child
of

the

deepest

THE

BIRTH

to
philosophers,

This

is his

heroes,

to

OF

"

not

truth it is the

characteristic

CHILDHOOD

genealogy and birth.

of
duty of all men, especially

and
significance
a

AND

down

note

Of
all

with

the
accuracy
of their education."

circumstances

the
practicein telling
on
lay great stress

lives of his
their

early

years.

he looks beneath

But

14.

childhood

His

the rose-colour

too.

all

happiness and rest,

the rainbow-colours
that glowed on
Among
in childhood
horizon, lay even
a dark
my
ringof
It was
care."
the ring of Necessity whereby
all begirt." His
we
are
active power
was
in
feature that left
unfavourablyhemmed
a
not

was

"

"

"

"

"

traces

his

his character

on

trainingwas

forbear

than

much

wishes

renounce."

Freewill

bitterness"

Masson

crying as

be

curbed

by

peasant

life and

father.

Yet

of

his

he

bear and

to

forbid

was

bold

I had

flowed

tears

might

tempers
that he

child.

"

to

into collision with

came

itself

which

do."

measure

that my

Professor

to

and

in any

the child

seasons

stoical lines

"

make

necessity; "so

harsh

stoical, rather

too

to

in

taste

and

that rod

all life.

He

almost

was

at

of
told

always

In fact his

the
the

narrow

strong will had

limitations of his

equallystrong

acknowledgesthat
desire

was

good

will of his
this

ing
cramp-

discipline;

TEUFELSDROCKH

AND

CARLYLE

des-/
tiny ;
Hereby was laid for me the basis ofl
itself" ; norl
worldlydiscretion,
nay, of morality
"

Obedience
"

is

of

openness
genuous
what
more
all

much

too

in all that

affectionate

sense,

and
curiosity
could

"

the

I have

respects!
in-

temper,

'

of these,
fostering

wished

?"

And

over

his

was

with the
kindlymother's influence,
atmosphere of her religion."The

beautiful

highestwhom
bowed

and

duty

"

he checked

was

universal

our

down

Higher in

I
with

knew
awe

on

earth

I here

saw

unspeakablebefore

Heaven."

the far-echoing
fluence
incan
measure
15. Who
of the voices that sound
throughour
earliest years ?
It is true we
them
from the reverberations

cannot

disentangle

of the ages past ;

myriad years that lie

for down

through the
behind us gatherthe dim voices of the ancestral j
dead into the high-roofed
chambers
of our souls
that elude our
harmonies
and whisperspectral
hearing like music we have heard in dreams.
and the joys
But it is the incidents,the sorrows
'

of

them

childhood, that awaken

to

years that follow birth lie closer

of the lives that are
echoes
no
more
The

life.

new

to

the
the

to quiverwith
tissues and fibres seem
young
the music and the discords of the vanished past.

The

new

world, on

which

we

open

our

mental

"

THE

20

vision
the

BIRTH

and

more

beings that

vibrations

dulls the

more,

have

OF

CHILDHOOD

AND

waters

that

of dawn

It is the first hour

of oblivion.

the

beneath

sunk

of

of
flitting,
ghost-likememories
their strange
the sunless hours
of sleep,with
of the forgotten or
resurrections
out
neverexperiencedpast. It is then the treasure-trove
of dreams
gets buried again by the tidingwaves
of incoming day, or cast high before our
waking

keeps

best

eyes,

to

the

become

impulse in

lives.

our

melt

sunrise

wonder

new

But

the colours

as

into the broad

and

and

neutral

new

of the

lightof

of our
other
and
day, the mystic shadows
phantasmal life flit back into the night,and we
are
again as others are, a part of all that we
plunged into the material interests and
survey,
issues of the

influences

diviner

guarded
blots
that

have

that

seem

the

the

dim

gone

to

to

childhood.

of

haunt

The

minds

the sudden

make
the

of

our

stiller

periods

texture
woven

endure

like the

gale.

the

worlds

world, visions

the

before the breath

pursuitsit vanishes
before

visions

past has

fails to

world's conflicts

our

subtle

mighty

and

strippedof all
dimly lie in the sleepbeing. So manhood

that

shrines

out

webs

world

common

of

for

the
our

strain

of

our

filmy
born
new-

of the

of its sordid

morning

gossamer

TEUFELSDROCKH

mother's

21

early

our

influence

of motherhood
self-rejection

never-weary

The

CARLYLE

being that

our

shelter beneath

years

nearer

it is for

Happy

6.

AND

the

the

comes

of the universe.
purpose
wonder
of the sacrifice it lays
everlasting
to

the

upon

altar

of

humanity

in it than

godhead

It is

spiritof
through
alive.

great

all

that

the

of

hood.
father-

benignant
her
nurslings
keeps the race

more

watches

the nobler

not

of

more

care

generations,and

Would

legacyof

casual

kinship with

Nature
the

the

has

the dim
instincts,

ancestry, die out, if the tender

tissues of childhood came
into contact
too
soon
with

the

manhood

our

.'' The

aims, its mean

men

have

shreds
has

world-hardened

coarse

to

motives
meet

of that

wrapped

Case-hardened

battle of

rough

and

and

round

labour's bath," from

callous
the

in, leave but few

which

vesture

the human

and

its sordid
life,

that
interpretations,

share

ethereal

of

nature

we

soul
turn

"fog

and

at

heaven
its outset.

from

"

sore

air
filthy

"

worldly employments, little fit to tend the

and translucent colours the souls
filmytexture
of our
children have
brought with them from
have
the shadowy world
we
forgotten. The
babel of earth's gross pursuitshas deafened
our
that dream-like
all the spheralmusic
to
ears
sounds
along the valley of human
progress.
of

Fatherhood

that

warrior

stern

of home

threatened

the

tender

no

side

their

watch

the

into

growth

the
foes

its nature,

to

sympatheticinstincts

soft and

the delicate fibres of the

know

be

protective,
may

routs

but it has

of the

none

be

may

OF

CHILDHOOD

AND

BIRTH

THE

2 2

that

human

soul and

soil of

life with

kindly sunshine.
It is motherhood

17.

failingfountain
from

its

draws

self-sacrifice

of

from

Heaven,

that

unconsciously

great- maternal

the

the dim
Nature, and feels instinctively

the

past has

characters
would

written

obliterate

atmosphere

of

direction

for

better

being forth

timid

from

the

contact

mother's

the dark

dream-recesses

it is her atmosphere
spirit;
the kindlyrays of heaven

that reflects

that would

rough

or

It is the

ever.

of the new-awakened

fuller

characters

love
that
self-forgetful
thoughts and feelingsof a

the

in

of

tender

woos

of love

heart

the soul of the child,

upon

that harsh

never-

strengthupon

the

delaying

else be winter-bound.

For

instincts
she

has

of the

of the universe
within
divinity
her heart ; she bows
reverentlyin spiritbefore
the Being that guides the awful
destiny of
creation ; she
never
questions the fiat of
sense

Providence

or

raises

the

of

fate

torrent

omnipotence.

And

or
so

defiant
the
she

reason

hidden
stands

against
decrees
with

of

her

TEUFELSDROCKH

AND

loving faith and worship as

of the
earthlyinterpretation
18.

And

lesson

of

reverence

What

do

all

if

divine
and

books

touch
whom

that

childhood

and

sends

of the

sun

its heart

it immortal

knee

to
not

universe

ecstasy
or

for

It is the

Universe.

and

symbol

of the

the

infinite

cosmos.

Who

worship

is

love

for the

child

Great

known,

or

Soul

of

guarantee

breathes
shall

that

can

Spirit
plant in\

Divine

deathless

that

of the

deep into the^

undying, un-

for her

the

this

infancy

influence

mother

seen

with

our

love, the

reverence

what

loved

about

the

the

know

humanising

compared

flows

it has

that

at

not

Nothing but
conditioninglove of a

nature

unseen

learn the

we

soul

the

sunshine

great central

symbol and
godhead.

true

theologiesand systems of
teaching and
preaching of the
avail for lighting the
fervour

religionin

of

the

23

our

divinity and
sacred

shall

where

CARLYLE

ever

does

through
truly
bear

not
^

of
through life the memories
who
ever-throbbing love ? And
accomplish aught great or worthy

the

soul

and

deeds

Alas
a

for

mother's

of

reverence

of this irreverent
the
knee

youth
!

that

Alas
and
has

for

mother's
shall

ever

that has
the

not

works
!

sneering age
never

knelt

at

II.

We
in

point
a

The

point.

as

clear

and

division

up

There

mind.

our

and

thence

to
we

pass
for

ready

armour,

And

to

emerges

judge

from

from

the

its cool
and

work

the

its

it

is

in

that

supposed

of

into

training
the

to

world

conflicts

and

the

attitude

of

process,

true,
ever

of

its
to

as

sleep.
sional
profesto

school

leap
be

into

given

faculties,

our

its

superiority

"

pf

its mention

in

complete

struggles.

youftj

triumphant
all past

victories, its disrespect for age

mankind,

spoken

undevoted

and

definite

under

words

are

at

is

time

is

that

as

but

the

at

two

we

wholly

And

the

are

life

guides,

or

work.

wage-earning
college

ranks,
as

began

at

varying,

and

of

guardians

and

life

measurable

as

the

ceased

and

individuals

limited
is

in

if it

as

of education

period

space

different

It

lives

own

our

education

of

speak

OF

TEUFELSDROCKH.

AND

CARLYLE

I.

EDUCATION

AND

YOUTH

THE

and

as

fidence,
con-

methods
average

I-turn-the-crank-of-the-universe

it

CARLYLE

AND

TEUFELSDROCKH

air,"the languageand
be

to

seem

But

2.

theorywhich

for

it

the

of

progress
achievements

depended on the
period of

life; alas for the

its

were

received
a

if this

master

done

with
who

They
school

or

only with
too, when

say

that
he

is

only with death.

they issue from

complete when
collegewill find natural
the dead.

classification

world is the

The

and
discipline,

merciless

is intractable

its scholar

men

he thinks

are

great school of

egotistical
world and

to

true

it,and that it ceases

or

this

education

It is

idiots

if it

man

of

all the

perhaps more
education
beginswhen

man's

implies

fact.

accordingto

alas

25

one,

slothful.

or

The

suffer penal severityas much

spiritmust
more
rigorousand cruel than the pedagogic as
that is more
If only
than the maternal.
stern
the youthfulspirit
what
knew
anguishit had to
the world
bear, and justlybear, in the training
gives,he would shrink back from the portalof

manhood,

as

he has done

at
room
castigation
end as long as

and

mould

littleif we

of

destiny,and

would

school.

teach.

are

Nor

influence will

our

come

learn the lessons she

ready to

duties that lie before

of the

still subjectto the ferule

not

Let

the door

will the cess

prolife persists
rule
; we
may

others ; but

to

from

evade

us

us,

experience,will

and

nbt

tasks, the

our

that

spare

lant,
grim flagelus,

with

the

26

THE

invisible

and

is

presence

There

of time."

scorns

the

from

OF

EDUCATION

AND

"whips

truants

no

are

YOUTH

of Fate

school

silently-

all-pervasive,so

so

his

indomitable.

the

is

There

3.

skill that

evading

no

from

comes

his lash
the

by

except

knowledge

of

to
perform it well. And
duty and willingness
hood
best learned in the period of childthese are
and green
youth, when the fibres of the
still in growth and all the tissues
mind
are
flexible. Then
the soul is least culture-proof

will is also least able

the

But

it

by
by

the

to

aid

yet it would

be

thither it reels,intoxicated

and

hither

mould

to

the
pleasures,or shaken
despairof new
griefsand pains. There is no
iron in the youthfulresolve ; and hence, if left
the youthfulnature
would
to itself,
grow wild

fumes

and

of

new

unfit for

the

civilised life that

the progress of mankind

; and
tortured by the unsatisfied
civilised luxuries

for

from

ancestral

toils and
essential
out

and

of
the

to

the

the

that

of

our

stincts
into

come

pangs

present

state

it

and
are

humanity is making
Undoubtedly, the beast
happier,or, at least,more
passiveenjoyment of life ;

progress

animal.

savage

longingsand

training. These

miseries

is

are

continuously
open to
but the happinessthat comes
transcendent
compared with

to

us

in dreams

theirs

and

is
the

CARLYLE

AND

TEUFELSDROCKH

penaltiesof labour we
preparationfor unbroken
kind

in the life of all

toil and

to

from

animal
and

peace

of

us

If

we

one,

to

are

must

we

nobler

of

instincts in

life ;

must

we

of

It is then
have

we

within

reach

our

make

the

the

bend

the

claim

of the first periodof life

clay in

those

who

of all other
hands

have

only

is ahead

the

of education

process

the

the

known

to

the

the term,

periods.We

of the

earlier

hence

of

sap

of the

importance

in

as

away

in the true

nature

years

the exclusion

duty

our

ful
strugglea successstrengthen the will and the
the green
and supple stage

the

Hence

us.

direction,whilst it is still soft with

youth.

the

such

drifted
; and

return

but

are

sunshine

past

enjoyment

far ahead

"

4.

of

content,

bear

now

men.

strive ; for

27

potter

the wisdom

are

and

of the

to

then

only
past

Disciplineby a professionof
teachers
is a means
of bringingthe concentrated
will and experienceof the past to bear on
How
the embyro of the future.
imperfectit
guide

can

has

been

noble

it is easy
it might be

discover.

Only
and

best

us.

in

realise ; how

made

the

wisest

is

not

and

great and
so

humanity

should

over

the

be

trolling
self-conall that

admitted

destinyof

to

easy

most

representativeof

most

post of vantage

to

to

the

is

this
race.

28

THE

How

to

find

them

into

the

entrance

countless
But

problems

OF

EDUCATION

AND

YOUTH

how

and

to

professionis
that

their

ensure

lie unsolved

before

dignityand
by haphazard as

greatness and

tillall the

sacrifice of the world,

not

the

of

one

us.

selfnow,

by a law of nature, seek the control of the

springsof progress, the trainingof youth, the
but

advance

5. It is with

of education
his

certain

futility
Carlylewrites

that

been

The

pedagogy.

on

of the

consciousness

it has

as

chapter

reveals

the

slow.

will be but

of the world

for the

contempt

that may,
however, have come
his own
experiencesin it,as from

by

And

it.

he

have

must

very

title

profession,
much

as

from

his education

been

difficult boy

had
the silently
obstinate
discipline
; for he
pride and sensitiveness of the Carlyles,
flaming
with passionat wrongs
real or imaginative,
out
and
to
quick suspicions and prejudices
open
to

that

hard

were

him

of

his

to

mother's

though vigorous
Like
his
was

and

his father,he had

own

from

in him

master

school

as

is

character

There

remove.

meek

little in

was

and

chastened,

thoughtful,character.
a

mind

his earliest years.

and
And

temper

of

thus there

the stuff for

with

inconsiderate

as
as

well with
as
explosions,
comrades.
The
of
discipline

rule of

thumb

of

differences
;

while

of

that of

CARLYLE

such

AND

mother

as

TEUFELSDROCKH

was
Carlyle's

29

guided by

love

Thus the
thoughtsthat love prompts.
that passed harmless throughhis nature
storms
in childhood, shook
it to the core
in boyhood ;
and

the

and

he

makes

his

genuine poetry
few

years
makes
him

^ofhis

education.

recorded

the

over

^the years
if
critical,

"

in

Teufelsdrockh
memory
in his home
over
bitter,

not

The

from

extract

one

tears

many

rise
of
;

his first

whilst

he

the years
he shed are

his hero's

wept often, indeed

"He

into

to

biography.
auto-

such

nicknamed
the tearful [der
degree that he was
tilltowards his thirteenth
weinende),which epithet,
indeed not quite unmerited."
year, was
times grew intolerable.
But the persecutions
at
had given his mother
He
a
promise that he

would

not

return

blow

and

this, instead of

savingthe shy undersized boy from persecution,

only increased it. At last his temper was tried
tillit broke

and

he

had

the bullies of the school

he made

it a

battle with

one

of

and, though defeated,

painfulvictoryfor

his

adversary;

his shins that reduced

on
leavingreminiscences
he
his subsequent trials. So of Teufelsdrockh
intervals did the young
Only at rare
says,
soul burst forth into fire-eyed
rage and with a
which
the
under
stormfulness
{Ungesiiltn)
that he, too, had rights
boldest quailed,
assert
"

of Man.

or

at

least Mankin."

THE

30

and

all his fitful temper

6. With

OF

EDUCATION

AND

YOUTH

outbursts

of

passion,Carlyle had in him, like his hero, a

languor or
; not
strong tendency to passivity
idleness, but a preference for thought above
the bustle
above
action, for quiet introspection
he says,
the shallow-sighted,"
of life. "For
is

Teufelsdrockh

"

of
activity

oftenest

kind,

any

no-man

without

man

for the

deep-

with
activityalmost
sighted, again, a man
close-hidden,
superabundant; yet so spiritual,
mortal
foresee
its
can
enigmatic,that no
when
it has exploded, so
explosionsor even,
its
ascertain
much
as
significance."This
exactlydescribes the Carlyle of boyhood and
youth,as paintedby himself and others,and it
is

far

from

talkativeness

unlike
of

the

spasmodic bursts
Chelsea
philosopher;

the

of
he

had

long periods of silence, nay taciturnity,

with volcanic eruptions of dogmatic
alternating
was
eloquence. There
something of an
"

almost

Hindoo

character"

in

which
philosopher's
history,
almost

self-absorbed

as

tryingby contemplationto
ultimate
a

up

in

deliverance

from

characteristic of all the

of the

of

that he

means

times

at

much

as

our
was

Brahmin

reach

the

the ecstasy of
body. This was

this damming
Carlyles,

thought by silence,till it burst

uncontrollable passion.

forth

CARLYLE

7. It

was

made

by
insignificant

so

self-education.

Most

satisfied if
with

tongue

they supply the

gristthat will keep
faculties that

of the

heedless

their education

schoolmasters

their

beside

TEUFELSDROCKH

this that

and

schools

are

AND

teachers

memory
them

and

going,

lie dormant

or

And
the
languidtill the world awakes them.
have
puzzledhis by
youthfulphilosophermust
that might seem
his enigmaticstillness,
to some
obstinacy. Hence he makes his hero say : "Of
the insignificant
portionof my education which
depended on schools there need almost no notice
be

taken.

learned

than

in

could

he

no

clergyman taught him

his
best trainingwas
Teufelsdrockh, "what
could

meet

with, he

pocket money
History in
"

with

fabulous

reality."His
the

he

did

afterwards

of his hero, he says

have
remember
to
ever
knew

others

learn.".

laid

authentic

"

Reading

learned."

Latin, and

the

his rudiments.

learnl

not

life, taught him

And

schoolmaster

she

though

Carlyle'smother,
writing till late
earlier

what

reading

remember.
he

cannot

His
son

first '
of the

But

his

reading. Like
printedthingsoever

his

own

he

read ; his
out

on

very
copper
stall literature."

fragments lay mingled

chimeras,

wherein

also

was

genius,in fact, alreadyshowed

and
biographical
imaginative-historical

THE

32

YOUTH

that

OF

EDUCATION

AND

marked

And

it.

early
his twelfth year he had
as
begun to mingle
Iphilosophy with imagination,meditating on
the grandeur and
I
mystery of time and its
evidenced
in the little
relation to eternity,"
as
and gurgled through his
that flowed
brook
village,and had flowed and gurgled before
Joshua forded Jordan."
tendency

ever

as

"

"

"

"

wonder

8. No

of him

and

that his teachers

doubtless

reportedwell

like his

likeness
young
fit for the learned

pronouncedhim a genius
that he must
be sent to the
; and
professions
day to the University."
gymnasium and one
The
Hinterschlagor Whip-behind Gymnasium
Resartus
is the Annan
of Sartor
Academy of
"

history,whither
when

he

that

of

was

ten

he

when

he

trotted

main

street

by

by

of age.

years

red, sunny

"

taken

was

One

Whitsuntide
his

of Annan,

his father
incident

morning,"

father's side
was

into

emblematic

the

of his

persecutionfor the four years he stayed

/there; "a littledog in mad
terror
was
rushing
human
i past ; for some
imps had tied a tin
own

kettle
moment

is

ever

its tail ;" fate made

to

the expense
with
human

at

it notable

of its agony
; and
pursuit of fame.

for
so

it

Here

began at a publicschool,as Shelley's

began,his
and his
struggle with tyranny and
wrong,

CARLYLE

AND

experienceof
"

;^;^

the bitterness of life as

afterwards counted
there

TEUFELSDROCKH

the firsttwo

the miserable

amongst

it is.

He

years of his time

of his life." Like

Teufelsdrockh, he had plentyof moral courage,

but
have

ill in

succeeded

"

avoided

battle and

it"; for he

was

would

of small

fain

personal
ate
passion-

nimble in
incredibly
seasons," and he thought that "if it was
be beaten, it was
to
disgraceful
only a shade
less disgraceful
much
to have
so
as
fought," his

stature,"though

"

"

mother's

And

precept.

so

obeyed the impulse of rude

"the
strong tyranniseover
veils
grown
there.

tempers

or

civilised

grew

schoolfellows

nature,

which

bids

the weak."

vention
Con-

this instinct amongst

but
it is none
the less

Carlyle, defender

And

afterwards

men

his

of the

rriaxim

though he
that might is

throughout his life express his

right,cannot
in
disgust stronglyenough at its application
school-life ;
Unspeakable is the damage and
of those coarse,
defilement I got out
unguided,
"

tyrannous

cubs."

stronglyhis
its wretched
contempt for the teachingsupplied,
methods.
material and its mechanical
My
hide-bound
teachers
were
pedants, without
or
boy's." How
knowledge of man's nature
inanimate, mechanical, gerund-grinder,
an
can
9. Nor

can

he

express

too

"

"

THE

34

YOUTH

will,in

the like of whom

in

be manufactured

leather, foster the

but

subsequent century,
Nurnberg out of wood and
growth of anything ; much

of mind, which

more

like

grows,

not

like

vegetable

of
mysterious contact
recognisedany spiritual

spirit,by

OF

EDUCATION

AND

spirit?"If his teachers

which
"could
be
only memory,
facultyit was
acted on
through the muscular
integument by
Unfortunately,this
applianceof birch-rods."
was

of

true

too

of all time

nay,

be

teachers

most

the

of the time, if not

ledged
last, at least, is acknow-

of

Carlyle himself when he

He
a schoolmaster.
was
was
decidedly harsh
and corporealin his methods
through all
; and
his
writings we
recognise the attitude of
swinging the birch over
delinquentmankind.
the prophet and
even
time
/ Thus
sage of our
in
has
he
practice to accept the methods
in theory; and
condemns
he
threw
the
up
professionin disgustbefore he had gone far in
it. The
problem of applyingthe true spiritual
to

true

method

after

it is

found, and

of

bringingthe

vital and

youth

more

hero

conquer

inspiredteacher to our
difficult than findingthe
a

world.

For

past calculation in the

there

movements

is much

is

who

even
can

that

is

of the human

before
it is fullydeveloped,
spirit,
especially
and the problem is not solved
by laments over

CARLYLE

the

waste

one

condition

It

of

is that

others

AND

that

must

honour

ineffective

it is

"

and

souls of
on

and

ever

be

individuals discover,

without

that fashioning
the
surprise,
generationby knowledge can rank

level with

it will

so

not

Carlyle sees

precede the solution ;

the professionabove all

tillcommunities
,

35

earlier years.

our

men

TEUFELSDROCKH

blowing

their

bodies

to

pieces

by gunpowder ; that there should be worldit possible,

honored
and, were
true
dignitaries,
God-ordained
priestsfor teaching."
10.

he

In his

makes

life,
though not in Sartor

one

mathematical

exception
teachers.

favour

of

has

nothing
languages both

his
but

in
teaching of
school
and university
he learned
some
; but
algebra,arithmetic thoroughlywell
geometry,
Annan
at
Academy"; whilst he advanced
far in mathematics
the University and
at
so
afterwards
he
that, when
was
twenty-nine,
translated Legendre's Geometry from the
he
French
and
duction
prefixed to it a valuable introon
Proportion,"whilst, at a later
the strength of his mathematical
stage, on
of
attainments, he applied for a professorship
Of
his
though without success.
astronomy,
teachers in the subjecthe also speaks warmly,
whom
he loved
of Mr.
Mnrley in Annan,
scorn

for

the

He

in

Resartus,

' '

"

"

36

and

much

who

this

And

me."

in

enthusiasm

experiencein youth
instincts.
strong literary

have

needs

that mathematics

all he

needs

his work,

with

an

common
un-

those

One

who
is

reason

the

with

as

and

is energy

is not

languages do ;
honesty in performing

of its teacher

livingcharacter

of

amount

connection

no

in

genius

some

certain

of

well," and

him
had

"

awoke

and

business

OF

EDUCATION

taught

who
Leslie

Professor
his

AND

YOUTH

THE

he

provided

solve

can

his

with its
problems ; its method of teachingcame
scholar, if he
discovery; and the mathematical
of discipline,
have
can
municate
always compowers
what
and

has

he

methodical

in

learned, it is

its

languages, especiallythe
teacher

every
and

he

may

has
go

to

at

whilst,if the thoughtsand

through their medium

powerful by having
teacher, his whole

newer

invent

astray

in

the

his

are

method,

thousand

not

points;
that

made

fertilised the

definite

teaching
languages,

own

emotions

come

ethically

mind

of

the

office will

lifeless gerund-grindingand
Moreover

In

nature.

so

transition

degenerate into
word-legerdemain.
stage

of

doubt,

through which most thoughtfulmen

must
pass
in youth,it is pleasantto feel the feet on
some
solid ground ; the results are
absolute and
so
in mathematics, that we
unquestionable
seem
at

CARLYLE

last

have

to

unless

AND

TEUFELSDROCKH

found

immovable

it absorb

37

truth.

all the intellect and

But

kill thought

and

be found
there is no
in it ;
rest
to
feeling,
it has
nothing living or real in its truth,
itself with
character
nothing that connects

or

life of belief.

our

doubt

our

he

modern

had

wander

to

literature

of work

the

in

wisdom,

the

above

it was
the

with
face

of

last,

at

of tolerance

issues of the

narrow

we

for his feet

rest

wisdom

and

could

he

find

guided by Goethe,

So

over

before

flood of

soul

again upon our

refugeagain to find.

Carlyle;

true

the

soon

in

sweeps

have

And

in

and

common

world.
Even

II.

during

his real
years,
scholastic work.

old, wont,
there
that

his

education
He

"

the

among

the incident

some

in his

small

he
own

store

often

were

outside

craftsmen's

to

boyhood

of

on

mossy

of

as

the
his

was

workshops,
we

know

Teufelsdrockh
he

lightedon
curious
reading,in the
he lodged." This
was
Smollett

taken

as

"

the characters

analoguesfor

people around him; and he could

recall with pleasurethe reading
Random

university

about,

went

ascribes

cooper'shouse where
the novels of
especially
in these

lay

and

things." And

learning many

occurred

school

bank

as

the

years

of

sun

the
after

Roderick
westered.

38
But

Still greater

work

history

hero's

with

collegelife
death

of his

it

in

the

Futteral

father,Andreas

was

gymnastic period."
doubtless Carlyle's
own

of his

year

are

death

of

inroad

his life.

into

at

was

the

punctuates
and

school

'sition between

books

and

especiallygrief

He

farewell.

immortal

than

teacher

experience, and

"

OF

EDUCATION

AND

YOUTH

THE

his

in

foster-

the third

"

And

his reflections
the first

over

We

tran-

that

know

deeply impressed by the sight of the

And
dead face of his uncle.
probably he began
he left school
feel before
the meaning of
to

he

was

word

the inexorable
the grave

as

bed

"Never," and
of

the

of

sense

less,
Then, too, doubt-

rest.

began to feel, like his hero, his

the solitude of
other
separation from
men,
and
wonder
here
great imagination. Sorrow
suddenly united could not but produce abundant
he

"

fruit."

"

was

of

solitary nature
prophet.
It

12.

life

And,

as

was

the
when

like

other."

no

his

life

solitude he needed
condition
he felt the

of

University classes,he
necessityof having to shine
noisy class-rooms, and so
in

mathematics

the

sage

and

through all his

successful

stimulus

the

even
prizes,

as

Hence

was

of

utterance.

ambition

maimed

by

in the crowded

he

never

where

took

he

was

in

the
and
any
so

CARLYLE

AND

excellent.

He

the

of his

of

advice

left school

fourteen,and

at

to

him, where

he

crowds, that stirred his

University teaching. Here

have been
test
to bring out
some
of imaginationeven
in the most

great powers
but

incapacity

this

of

scorn
savage
there should

timid

with

compete

on

thought well
to
Edinburg

sent

was

doubtless
University. It was
of showing the strength within
had

39

teachers, who

talents, he

his

TEUFELSDROCKH

there

was

none

and

he

had

to

satisfyhimself with the reputation he could

but
gather in a small circle of ambitious
he
who
disappointed youths like himself
was
tinglingwith the desire for literaryfame.
"

It

the

was

same

absence

of

an

unconventional

critics that kept

originality
amongst
in the literary
He
world.
him so long obscure
would
rather, during the first and shadowy half
have addressed
audience
of his life,
an
through
where timidityand fear of affectation
a professorship,
test

for

would

duty

and

he

have
made

vanished

in

the

sense

of

frequentattempts to gain
was
only under the goad

platform. It
driven
of threateningstarvati0n that he was
into the professionof literature ; for there is
for the man
or
humiliating
nothing so galling
of original
thought as the necessityof begging
the public,to
and through them
the publishers,
such

let him

have

himself

on

audience

an

OF

EDUCATION

AND

YOUTH

THE

40

the

level with

he

to

seems

who

quack

put

mounts

publicstreets and bawls out

is
merits
of his pills. Self-advertisement
most
torturingof all expedientsfor the man
he has power
knows
unrecognisedwithin

his

in the

rostrum

the
the
who
him.

he

fiftieth year

he

when

last

At

obtained

close

was

and

audience

an

his

on

was

teacher
professional
This longedwithout injuryto his self-respect.
for leverage he symbolises in the life of his
Teufelsdrockh
hero ; he
makes
a
professorof
Whothingsin general at the University of
knows-where."
Carlyleprelectedthrough his

able

address

to

it

as

"

books

on

all kinds

subjects,without

of

isation
local-

of his chair.
13.

Doubtless

as

he felt within

student

him

the

the character
of
livingcapacity of affecting
if only he had
students
the point of vantage of
all the greater that
scorn
a professor. His
was
of his university failed so
the teachers
pletely
comin their

mission.

vigorous expression
This

is how

"Had

you,

in

square

ill-chosen

he

in

his

describes

anywhere

the

And

Sartor
his

in Crim

enclosure, furnished
and
library,

eleven-hundred

then

Christian

finds

scorn

Resartus.

Alma

Mater

Tartary,walled
it with

turned

small

loose into k

to
striplings,

tumble

CARLYLE

about

they listed

as

certain

TEUFELSDROCKH

AND

from

thrge

under

persons

the

4.T
to

title of

being statigned at the gates, to

and
that it was
exact
a university,
admission
result

fees

years

professors

declare

aloud

considerable

had

you

"

seven

in

spiritand
our
High

...

of
imperfectresemblance
professorsin the Nameless
Seminary." "These
lived at ease, with safety,by a mere
reputation
in past times."
constructed
They, themselves,
needed
at working
not
to work
; their attempts
when
I look
at what
now
they called educating,
some

"

back

it,fill me

at

"

The

and
What

wind.

certain

tion."
admira-

mute

looked
young
for food were

hungry

nurses
spiritual

the

with

their

to

up

bidden

eat

vain

versial
jargon of contrometaphysic, etymology and mechanical
named
current
science, was
manipulationfalsely
there, I, indeed, learned better perhaps than
east

the most."
His

14.

These

young
but boys,had
and

education

best

Scotch
to

self-control

when

they

close

to

learned

scorn

the

Spartan

of

world.

them

life of poverty

and

them

to

They

existence

all affectation

college.

of

most

invaluable

was

realities of

the fundamental
upon
Thus
from
poverty
"

students,

that

entered

the
to

lead

lay outside

were

that
to

so

they

retreat

principlesof morality.
does

the

strong

educe

42

THE

YOUTH

wealth

nobler

;,

OF

EDUCATION

AND

thus- iff flie destitution

of the

acquire for
that of
himself the highest of all possessions,
self-help."Nothing describes Carlyle better
than
Ishmael"; for with his solitary
our
young
of irony, his hand
prideand his keen power
man's hand
and
was
againstevery man
every
the weapon
But
self-helpwas
against him."
desert

does

our

Ishmael

young

"

"

with
makes
his

which

he

the

was

strongest.

Scotch

student

it

poverty

gives

It is that which

strong, and

him

the

with

democratic

equal talent as
ing,
equal. By the natural magnetism of this feelCarlyle found the companionship of other
of thinking.
thoughtfulyouths of the same
way
Christian
eleven-hundred
youths,
Among
eleven
be wanting some
will not
there
eager
to learn."
By collision with such, a certain
communicated
warmth, a certain polish,was
;
by instinct and happy accident, I took less to
riotingthan to thinking and reading." His
best
the
opportunity was
college library
;
from
the chaos
of that libraryI succeeded
in fishingup
books, perhaps, than had
more
been
known
The
to the
very keepers thereof.
of a literary
life was
foundation
hereby laid."
But the best thing he learned
from
the
was
the writer,"to study human
writingto construe

sense

takes

which

all

men

of

"

"

"

"

CARLYLE

AND

in the books

nature

the fate of the

dead

45

and^ this saved

who

bookworm,

of the

texture

TEUFELSDROCKH

books

he

hini

feeds

reads

and

from
the

on

forgets

the

behind them.
The
mere
livingpersonality
scholar reads merely for the languageor for the
pilesof dead facts he may store up in his mind;
the

student

true

warmth,

for

reads

for
inspiration,

human

for

him
around
lightupon the natures
and upon
the historythat is forming. From
his
reading Carlyle began to map out for himself
certain ground plan of human
and
nature
a
natural in a
life," merely mechanical
as
was
full of the
university that was
eighteenth
rationalism, yet a ground-plan. He
century
was
soon
repelledby the talk about "progress
the
of the species,dark
and
ages, prejudice,
like
driven l
from the chair of philosophy,
soon
by its hostilityto mysticism or the lofty
of the
universe, into
spiritualinterpretation
sick impotent scepticism." It was
an
age of
'

"

"

"

unbelief, of denial, and

the

"

15.

soon

of doubt."

is the

mechanic

It

of chaos

in

universe.

Our

was

fever paroxysms
dead

kills the soul and

dark

he

cavern

belief,and
We

not

are

of

made

fixed

souls, if they

are

dreams, dreams

helmlessness

of

and
to

that''

exercise

bad

gives us

wild with

to

in the

live within

moveless

live, must

the

creed.
have

'2J4

THE

YOUTH

that-wiH" change with its changes

livingvestnr?
and

with

grow

mechanical
result

theory

faith

Church.

world

And

built

abandoned

the

found

became
back

to

chaos
its

upon

the

are

most

after the

institutions

old

up

and

were

universities

They

have

and

world

thrown

was

hug the
{exploded methods, long

eighteenth

the details

of all human

conservative

The

universe

the

of

looselyto facts,the

again, the soul

primeval gloom.
I

growth.

that, when

was

fit but

its

abandoned

had

century

OF

EDUCATION

AND

and
superstitions

after

the

them.

of

the

in

the

rest

Thus

the eighteenthcentury
universityof our satirist,
The
old
lingered far into the nineteenth.
still served
it
phrases of rationalistic deism
for

watchwords, long after

fervid
and

belief had
kindled

hermit-crab

caught

nobler

the

its enthusiasm.

that

the

was

Instead

the

newer

lifeless

minds

livingspiritnow
creation
one

and

the

shell,there
more

dwelt

more

European

theologiansof
vanishing era
imagined the deity
cold unsympathetic dweller
within
a
that

and

had

mind
of

the
to

the

fast-

be,

universe
into

come

inspiring
thought;
within

historyof

the

the world

tissues
was

vast

the

souls

array

of

of
but

manifestation

the

of its vital power

; through
of planetsthat nightlyastonish

thinkingmen,

there

was

no

more

CARLYLE

dead

mere

but

AND

law

keep them
livingforce,

those

being ";
seemed

and

in their

from

for

their

centuries

the vault

phere
atmos-

had

and

\\

courses

whose

in

moved

that

eyes

look down

to

of

had

gloom,

filled with divine

wintry lights,now
the heart-rending
over
tears
spectacleof human
smiled
the
or
as
woe
divinely over
joy of/
the
often!
that
summer
or
glad fortune
life ; they were
sweetened
human
the,
now
symbols and the sympathising looks of the \
'
the soul of man
higher being towards whom
as

cold

lived

they

"

45

to

wondrous

TEUFELSDROCKH

as

reaches

it

that

out

silvery glance they

this
to

the

Within

16.

change

be

issues

was

Revolution,

that

culminated

eyes

of

of manhood

out
stretching

the

exhibited

was

or

life!

human,

beyond;

fantastic

with

the

volcanic

that colored

and

thought to

it showed

the

by

to

the

tagonism
an-

French

closelyconnected

rather

in that

It led

men.

in

meanmg

the selfish incrustations

false media

bosom

all creeds

the

the

tell of

to

against by

Revolutionists, it

swept away

their i

of this young
student
working, and though it seemed

warred
to

with

into infinitude.

horizon

narrow

seemed

sublimer

beyond life,of a
destiny,of great
our

attain

may

with

movement

outburst.

It

of centuries,
distorted

the inner
astonished

the

shrine
eyes

46

THE

humanity consisted

what

of mankind

which

wrapping of
long custom

human

soul and

off the

relief;

centuries

tyrannous

herald

the

went

trumpet

the

over

of

and

poor

long gloom of
through the world
and

freedom

and

maimed

the lacerated

from

in strong

out

the

out

the

integrity.

of the

woes

power

around

stood

above

shone

and

it in all its

men

for the

down-trodden

and

of all

sorrow

wound

had

It tore

in.

wealth

title and

revealed

brotherhood

The

OF

EDUCATION

AND

YOUTH

his

slaves

beaten

toil-worn

and

blew

limbs

the

been

falling
through the generations
the cry that was
since ; libertywas
sounding
echoed
with pathetic
through the lands ; liberty
the piteousspectacle
of human
labour
over
note
that had no
joy before it but the rest of the
about
be the goal of all
to
grave ; libertywas
chains have

mankind
and

have

nor

attained

yet

we

its full

significance
; stilldo its very
preachers
and champions in their fervour
violate its pure
the foul contagionof tyranny
spirit
; still does
of the army
that
spread through the ranks
ideal state
fightsagainstit. Perchance in some
true

hereafter
which
17.

shall interfere with

But

century,
become

shall attain

men

even

in

the

the

at

that freedom

the freedom

the

breast

champion

to

of

beginning
of

of the

one

who

of all
none.

of
was

slave-owner

this
to

and

CARLYLE

AND

TEUFELSDROCKH

47

the

worshipperof might,this leaven of freedom

was
the mechanical!
working. He threw over
theory of the creation that had ruled all
thought for a century. He would have no
i

to

more
no

do with

heart

for the

life he claimed
universe
and

inherent

from

this

human

man

could

pent-up within
dried

the

by

time that

men

weep

that had

made.

Life,

And,

the

of

sense

his

heart.

that had

nim, their fountain

barren
lifeless,

essence

gazed
of
spectacle

into

tears

the

he

as

the

over

came-

the

the

as

the
suffering,

of all
now

had

soul

of all.

point of vantage

toil and

he

God

of
moving principle
the

power

brotherhood
He

worlds

for the

for

as

emotionless

an

been

choked

theologyof

and
the

feel the
passing. He could now
fate of the myriads that were
so
heart-rending
and
heavy-laden,that claimed only a
weary
their share of the blessings
of the
as
grave
earth.
His spirit
throbbed
with the agony that
had moaned
through human history.He knew
that the palpitating
orbs of night had a heart
was

that beat in unison

noble.

life had

mechanical
And

knew

He

countless

he

that lived

with
that
a

formulae

set

and

himself

the

meaning
that had
to

breathed

great and heroic.

all that

true

was

world
far

and

beyond

and
its
the

stood for science.

know
in the

the

loftier soul

actions

of the

III.

OF

MANHOOD

EARLY

THE

AND

TEUFELSDROCKH
CARLYLE.

is

It

1.

to

mimic

the

but

though

and,

existence
it

we

us

spur

and

offence.

our

equipment
stand

below

crowds

it

us,

that

now

fit for

there

upon

city
and

opens
and

college

that
of

weapons

is

has

high hope

been

to

of

is looked

the

haze,

reveals

push

sunk

precipice

for

the
very

the

of

expectations

know

suspect

we

return

some

has

nothing

nature

theatrical

were

struggle

and

real

enter,

capital

golden

the

\ye

school

exaggerated

and

as

world.

the

But

Much

friends.

far

the

and

overlooks

to

than

more

our

We

about

are

we

on

of

in

expected

are

pasteboard,

little of

see

we

the

of

struggles

demands

defence

of

is but

armour

our

armed,

crises

education

of

period

battle

the

into

awkward

most

completely

and,

out

go

the

so-called

the

life when

closed,

of

one

in
for.

which

that

lies

bustling
life and

TEUFELSDROCKH

AND

CARLYLE

perhaps for some

crown
visionary
again overspreads the whole scene
to

us

what

guess

have

to

others

its features

into that

go
have

and

home.

Few

their

faculties

^hazard

for few
their

are

and

guides us,

it is too

when

Only

choose

can

what

discover

contest

is

back

come

leaves

Down

we

labour

But

us.

the

as

how

to

of i

the accident

to

to

have

we

us

have

the

been

late, we,
been

on

grave

of

most

taken

sped,and
again. We

stumbled

exceptionalif

that will fit

career

taught to
specialfaculties. Haphaphazard favours few.

that the wrong

path has
if we
return, life is half
not

and

afford to retreat
locality.Few can
the sweet
securityof solitude and.

into

again

glory,and

are.

left

are

of

valley of

before

gone

descend, and where,

birth

dim

49

us,

find

then,

and

the years will

face the
must

and

be

not

our
a

fortune
welcome

rest.

something amiss
that leaves
youthfultraining

2.

of
of

There

our

is

natures

in

the

our

possibilitie

little ascertained.

so

scheme

Horses

long before they are

classify
and we
know
exactlywhat each is fitted
mature
for ; and all the energiesof the trainer are bent
to develop it in a fixed direction,whilst seldom
and

or

the

dogs

never

we

can

is there

youth

of human

blunder

made.

species,endowed

with

But

though
D

THE

50

they are with the power

capacityof speech,we
occasional cases
they

faculties

weak,

are,

which

before

he

which

satisfied

is many

to

the

career

spend on training
these
knowing what

do

we

strong

and

which

at

years

is fitted
let him

shine

to

athletic

what

and

dawdle

muscles

school, what
But

in.

ments
amusewe

manhood

into

knowledge of his inner and real

without gauging or testingin any serious
of thought he has.
the powers

elements

self
way

elements
differentiating

Surely there are

all youthfulnatures

3.

manhood,

are

out
with-

clear

in

are

developing and which

Every schoolboy knows,

absent.

he

into

stumble

are

in full force

has

if in

be content

to

worth

are

almost

are

he

have

faculties, without

the

the

and
self-analysis

of

Years

that suits them.

OF

MANHOOD

EARLY

as

that

there

in those

are

would

by

their

of

dominanc
pre-

them sufficiently
classify
for the various
pursuits of life, and enable
teachers
and
to
to
develop what is needed
will ultimatelyvanish by lack
leave alone what
in after life. Surely some
of use
higher type of
education will be systematisedfit to serve
the
of all training,
the discovery
primary purpose
of the proportionthat the faculties in each hold
or

to

one

weakness

another.

century

It is
progress

no

credit
that

we

to

our

have

teenth
ninestill to

TEUFELSDROCKH

leave

AND

this function
of

plan

the

to

surrenderingthe
and

its powers
to
is littlebetter than the old
nature

CARLYLE

hazard

of life.

caprice and

Our

chance

for witchcraft

test

of the

measurement

into the

throwing the accused

whether
they sank or

and

water

of

seeing

swam.

the

cation
haphazard character of eduthat left Carlyleso long struggling
with
he was
fit for,
the world, ignorant of what
He
was
scious
conJncapable of findinghis career.
It

4.

was

of great

they

he

were

within

powers

had

not

been

him

simply the
guide was
thought that their
parents, who
should

great

the

enter

church,

for talent

career

know.

desire

at

his

of

cleverest child
time

one

unfit for war,

ranks

lower

what

taught to

first

His

but

the

only

and, for

of

society,the only
times
the problem had
In mediseval
career.
its simplestform ; two
reduced
to
been
paths
lay open to youths with exceptionalpower ; if
the boy had
strong will, vigorousmuscle, and
talent in the

high birth, then

but if he had
ecclesiastic
shook

into

was

in the innumerable

success

But

there

keen
;

and

the various

than

two

wars

of those

he had
intellect,
the

king

and

to

of

the church

his

times

become

kinds of talent into their

time
by Carlyle's
more

little doubt

an
soon

place.
had parted
the professions
those of politics,
there were

THE

52

EARLY

the

law, education,

the

navy,

there
how

far

boy

As

birth and

only

the

navy,

or

far

of

now

means

fitted for

was

the old tradition

down

the

success.

it

the

came

extent,

some

Commerce

about

was

side

left ; but
Journalism and
teaching were
former had scarcelyyet crystallised
into a
; only great and exceptionalwriters
honoured

hacks,

the

ever

starvation

by

5. Thus

choose
And

were

Carlyle was
two,

clerical

professionwere

course

had

to

to

of four

the

the
fession
prowere

poor

from

shifts.

driven
practically
and

conclusion
unsuited

six years

he had

that he and
to

to

the school.

course
university

proceed through
or

as

upon

themselves

the church

the close of his

come

he

looked

to
save
eager
dishonourable

between

by

rest

almost

But

for

into it ; but there was

that led many
still
it the taint of the sordid pursuitof wealth.

issue

the

only channel

that the

influence.

or

of

the

army,

chance

the church.
Next
to
abilitywas
law, althoughthat too required,to
money

five

to

still lingeredamongst

of Scotland

of

concerned, his

enter

any

other

or

them

narrowed

And

ascertaining

one

Carlylewas

as

wealthy could
parliamentwith

peasantry

the church.

and

war

as

poverty

and
journalism,

commerce,

stillfewer

were

these.

And

well

as

OF

MANHOOD

each

the

still before

the

other.

Divinity
he

had

TEUFELSDROCKH

CARLYLE

his final decision.

make

to

AND

53

Hence

he

annual
indecisive,delivering
an

test

for three years, before he abandoned

the

on

of

church;

the

official absent
and

he

the

March

whom

to

6. Another

set

close
himself

this

not

manner

teaching in

to

of
years
mathematical
master

nineteen

thought
his fee,

pay

of

tatter

to

fall

was

one

the

nection
con-

definitely
of

the

his parents.

to

experiment with

in like

to

last feeble

And

greatest heart-breaks

to

had

clerical outlooks

ground."

sermon,

1817, he found
he

the

"allowed
with

to

in

drifted

his

nature

came

long after.

18 14,

when

He
was
age.
in his old school

he

He
was

appointed
at

Annan,

distinguishedhimself by his solitary

habits, and the gradualgrowth of disgustat his
two
new
profession. Yet he remained
years
there, his chief consolations being his nearness
to his loved mother, his correspondencewith his
his books.
old collegecomrades, and
We
can
and

see

he

from

the

letters of his friends

still clingingto the idea

his vocation

that he

that mathematics

but his whole

nature

was

was
was

turning

problems of the world,

and religious.Hume's
ethical,political,
Essays
were
absorbing his thoughts and breaking up
in the

his

direction

old

fall of

tenets.

of the

The

Napoleon,

and

French
the

Revolution, the

misery throughout

THE

54
the

country

his books

the

to

bitterness

in

into his letters

in all other

he

ambition
of

was

should

be failures

protest

soul

In

adds

No,
been
known
"

prays,

Oh

Heaven
able

form

has

been

Fortune

master

his

by

lest his attempts

the

was

to

one

of

one
1

"

:
"

prayer

his

8 14, he
of his

that

think

the

foremost

! grant

me

not,

literary
since

ever

wish, the

ing
attain-

ever

Yet

rades,
com-

makes

careless of

am

knows

to

was

epithet

gettingstirred by
in literature ; shy

Murray, in
againstthe idea
but

and

overcome

was

yet that
letter

I talk thus, that I

fame.

being

was

eminence

eminence,

because

have

whole

satire

he felt he
he

or

generalised.
in pouring his

was

and

from

out

described

attemptingit,afraid

Thomas

to

there

for

of his heart.

mild

irony

spheres

His

material.
the

his mind

rehef

his best

out

OF

drawing
life they

were

But

MANHOOD

EARLY

wish

"

and

that, with

of
he
a

heart of

independence unyielding
to thy favours
and unbending to thy frowns, I
attain to
may
fame ; and though starvation be
literary
lot,
my
I will smile
His

that

I have

letters allowed

him

not

to

been
feel his

born

king."
strengthand
a

practiseit. And, although he sat up tillfar

in the
morning, tearing his way
through
Newton's
Principiaand evidentlythought he
to

would

make

his

bread

by mathematics,

his

TEUFELSDROCKH

heart

in

was

of ethical

CARLYLE

much

He

there

had

not

in

was

imaginativewriters.
Rousseau's
Confessions, he
him

to

the end

7. Towards
of

error

new

his
of

master

in

that he

flamed

not

said,

dunce.

he entered
for

set

up

of Edward

up

like

afterwards

of 1816

school

that

oppositionto

afterwards

to

come

books

But

was

existence

yet

Shakespeare and

other

discovered

55

the literature
literature,
especially

thought.

how

see

AND

before

he

was

on

pointed
ap-

Kirkcaldy
Irving, who

at

the

world

as

came
and
prophet; and he bepreacher,religionist,
the close friend of this striking
personality.
course
interwhat
he first knew
Here
true
spiritual
was.

much

it

meant

In his Reminiscences
to

he tells how

there
him, solitary

as

where
else-

Along the beach

daily and plunged into the mysteries
they walked
of existence
together. And graduallyhe
of his
found that his projectof spending most
had to be given up ;
mathematics
spare time on
more
deeply
philosophy and history became
\
especially,
interestingfor him ; and Gibbon
from
borrowed
Irving'slibrary,shook his be- 1
in all his tendencies.

liefs

to

their foundations

the Decline

and

Fall\

deeply interested him\

its
with
of history,and
with the significance
sarcastic faculty
his own
stillirony strengthened

of

the

Roman

Empire

56

THE

killed many
And
it was
him.
all idea

just after
preaching

of

this that
a

dear

been

had

he abandoned
which

creed

to

he

schoolmastering

His

defend.

to

OF

that

fancies

and

felt ill able

MANHOOD

EARLY

For,
experiment was
coming to an end too.
when
Irving left in 1818, Carlyle felt himself
be
to
cease
compelled to explain, I must
other door
no
pedagogue ;" and, though he saw
retreated
to
him, he resigned,and
to
open
Edinburgh in October, with a capitalof .^90,
saved
the flagellant
he had
from
which
fession
pro"

than
8.

be

resolve

his

;
a

schoolmaster
could

He

strong

was

for one's

live like

' '

better

die

living."

Spartan ; but yet he

felt he must
have
of livelihood
a recognisedmeans
profession,that of
; he thought of a new
civil engineering,and studied
mineralogy for a
time ; but this too
was
given up after having
drawn
him into learningGerman.
With
many
humiliations and
as
torpedo-shocksfrom
many
the trodden
for his would-be
worm
humiliators,
he managed to get some
privatepupilsand eke
out
a
living,aided by supplies of provisions
from

his

father's farm

thought of
,

law, and

only to
his

new

his last

attended
find

at

Mainhill.

Then

professional
chance,

law lectures

at

the

strong

of

University,

loathingrise
pursuit. Deep dejectionhe
as

that

he

in him

at

fell into ;

TEUFELSDROCKH

whilst

AND

CARLYLE

57

dyspepsia,attacked him
from the
body ; for years he felt as
if a rat was
gnawing at the pit of his stomach.
in Edinburgh circles,
I was
entirelyunknown
heart,'fast losingmy
solitary,
eating my own
health too, a prey to nameless
strugglesand
a

new

enemy,
side of the

"

miseries, which
them

have

yet

kind

of horror

in

thoughts,three weeks without any

kind of sleep,from
be free
to
impossibility
from noise."
left the northern
Irving,too, soon
Dr.
Chalmers's
assistant at
capitaland became
in
Glasgow. And all the world of labour was
low, food at famine
a
ferment, wages
prices,
thousands
starving. The spectacleembittered
laws of the
him all his life againstthe economic
to

civilised

my

world.

miserable

years

likewise

deep

making

effort

He

spent

of

his

in the

three of the

life."

themselves

most

he

For

of chaotic

agony

raise

to

"

into

was

beliefs
order.

partlyon his father's

spent his vacations
farm, and partlywith Edward
Irving, struggling,
He

contradiction
agonising against the
his
his feelingsand
with
between
reason
regard to religion.His correspondence reveals

how

terrible
But

9.

chaos.
from

order
He

the

was

had

the French

conflict.
about

was

translated
;

and

to

issue

out

of the

Legendre'streatise
athough his notice of a

58

MANHOOD

EARLY

THE

mathematical

book

him

Brewster, found

the

rejectedby

was

Brewster,

Review,

OF

out

burgh
Edin-

afterwards

Sir David

and

him

gave

work

Edinburgh Encyclopedia. It was

hack work| involvingmuch
mere
reading in the
Advocates'
Library and much
drudgery in
for
making abstracts,but it was a good discipline
to

do

the

on

and

his after career,

his

helped him to decide on

of writing books, whilst
towards
biography and

it

profession,that

moulding his tastes

of
history; for most
contributed

he
It

his

was

were

of

the time

he

German

began

fiction and

drama

England.

He

that
and

to

to

know

him.

to

translate

and

in

1822

New
essay

Edinburgh
shallow
of

About

German

revealed

Longmans
War,

for his future.

that

(1820),its
were
exceedinglypopular in
pondent
acknowledged to a corres-

it had

earth"

new

studies, however,

importance

most

historical.

biographicalor

were

new

articles which

the sixteen

he

Review
and

In

on

crude.

new

1821

Schiller's
wrote

heaven

"

an

he

offered

Thirty
essay

Goethe's

Years

for the

Faust,

an

fluenc
Through the innow
a
preacher in

Irving,who was
London, he got his Life of Schiller admitted in
Magazine of 1823. But,
parts to the London
as
Carlyle himself says, this was
an
insignifican
book."
For Schiller had no gospel for
"

TEUFELSDROCKH

him

or

even

any

It

Goethe's

was

revealed

thought.
of

his
It
it

throughhis
calmness

found

his
late

were

Wilhelm

heart

and

in

was

CARLYLE

over

power

peculiarfaculties

own

AND

59

style; and his

in developing.

Meister
its

that

workings

first

to

1824 that he had his

his

lation
trans-

published. And
by that time,
study of its author, he had reached'

and

that he

tolerance
could

of belief,and

still exercise

he

had
in

reverence

Ilife. Richter, the novelist,had

Ipower

of humour

\and Fichte
life as

but

He

10.

taught him the

and of figurative
expression,
taught him the true meaning of

had
the
had

outer

form

also reached

of the divine
firmer

idea.

ground

in the'

world.
practical
Irvinghad got him a lucrative
in 1822, to the Duller family,and he
tutorship,
trained the mind of the promisingyoung
Charles
Duller

till 1825.

he had

Moreover

by the same
pupil Jane Welsh

staunch
of

friend

been
to

Haddington,

duced
intro-

his old
and

for"

several

the
mutual
been
respect had
years
lationship
deepening into something like love ; this re-

culminated,

in

spite of

the

narrowi

They I
con-'
settled in Edinburgh and~Ke~l5egan
to
Dut
tribute to the
reviews.
after applying
versity,
Unifor a chair in St. Andrew's
unsuccessfully
in University College,London,
and one
means

of the two,

in

marriage in

1826.

6o

he

ancestral
tock

farm

there he

and

had

Gordon,
Brunswick

to

was

and

engagement,
wrote

of

her

but

her

her

with

stay

greatly impressed
character

But

Resartus.

Sartor

wrote

youth at Kirkcaldy,he
heart.
affair of the
Margaret
an
from
New
a
orphan, had come
poor
he

already,when
had

1827 with his wife to her small

in Dumfriesshire, Craigenput-

in

removed

OF

MANHOOD

EARLY

THE

his

with

they parted.
"

"

She

of

was

was

his

and

power

refused

aunt

and

aunt

allow

to

an

afterwards

He

the

fair-com-

plexioned,softly elegant, witty and comely

type;" and "to me she continued for perhaps
less in my
three years a figurehanging more
or
fancy,on the usual romantic, or latterly,
quite
elegiacand silent terms."
'

undoubtedlythis episode of his life,

mingled perhaps with colouringfrom his wooing
and marriage of Jane Welsh, that he embodies
Romance.
V in the chapterof his hero's lifeheaded
For
the fiction is in the main
outline exactly
the
fact told by him
the same
in meagre
as
Isketch
long afterwards in his Reminiscences ;
there marriage and
long years had almost
II.

It is

obliterated

the

memory,

And
insignificance.

we

least sunk
take the

may

Teufelsdrockh, coming
after the affair,as far the

of

at

or

as

it did

truer

it into

romance

few

years

representation

4"

TEUFELSDROCKH

AND

CARLYLE

of the

early passion. Naturallyhe introduces

features
that
would
deprive the picture of
its directlypersonal element.
He
makes!
Blumine
a
brunette, whilst Margaret Gordon
was

blonde, and

that of the young

the

duenna

Canadian

was

cousin, whilst!

a
an

aunt.

Much

12.

love, its

philosophyhe has on the nature

likeness to religious
worship,its
of

it has

the

like

and

unlike, and

in

of

proximat
ap-

the

youth through that infinite

faculty,fantasy. Full of such thoughtsand
elements
of irritability,
passion, and
fancy,
Teufelsdrockh
needed
only the approach of the
flame
actual embodied
to
light the jresultant
maTour"
gunpowder. Soon it became manifest
stoical and cynicalas he now
as
philosopher,
and even
in love."|
looks,was
heartily
frantically
He
loved once,
not
wiselybut too well, and!
canl
once
only. The firstlove,which is infinite,
be followed by no second like unto
it." Blumine,
he gives her, though, as
the name
he says,
has a certain relation to Margaret; it
fictitious,
means
goddess of flowers, and Margaret is the
like Margaret
old name
for the daisy. She was
one's
hazel-eyed,beautiful and sometoo,
young,
cousin ; high-bornand of high spirit
; but
unhappilydependent and insolvent ; living
perhaps
the not too gracious
on
bounty of moneyed
power

"

"

"

"

62

THE

The

relatives."

hero

"the

amid

her

choicest
had

He

cavaliers."

introduced

was

garden-houseof

the

OF

MANHOOD

EARLY

her

in

guardian'smansion,
of

party
heard

to

dames

of her

and

before, "her

and
he had seen
gifts,graces, and caprices,"
that lightyet so
stately form
only as a
out
magic vision,for him unaccessible,almost withfar from
too
sphere was
reality.""Her
In "far less agitatingscenes"
still
his."
our
"

"

"

"shrouded

friend had

his tremors

up

and

flutter-

of silence and perhaps of

ings in a safe cover
he rose
the
to
seeming stolidity."But now
his guiding genius inspired him.'
occasion ;
into the stream
of converstruck adroitly
He
sation
"

led

and
"

And

it.

his

by

"

he

diogenic

bore
a
persuaded into silence
had been wearying the company
who
with his
philistinism."She repaid him with a glad
there not
smile ; nay, was
in
a
slighttremor
utterances

"

"

"

that silver voice

her

cheeks

tone

"the

one

our

holy

was

Blumine's

"

fine

burden

To

"

and

The

he

thought

called

rolled
the

and

hand

with the
twilight,
spoke something

transient

conversation

was

friend

"

kind
of

forth

on

higher

another

;"

heart."
every
seemed
moments
;

happy."
in

took

"

from

hours

was

blush

his
stars

"At
;

parting the
in the balmy

above

meeting again

them, he
which

was

TEUFELSDROCKH

contradicted

AND

63

CARLYLE

he

pressedgentlythose
soft fingers,
and it seemed
if they were
as
not
hastily,
angrilywithdrawn."
not

Diogenes

for

held but

earth

felt love

He

in the

the

"

be

to

shone

in

several

not

idea

made

and

her

gave
first time.

morning
distance

human

^'keep the
divine

; life bloomed

of

One
and

weeping ;"she
to

meet

"

no

no

more."

were
indignations

duenna
was

from

Yet

what

was

Mrs.
of

Teufels"

capital to

warm."

tremulous

fled

hearts

resigned herself to
morning he found
dusky red" "as if she
said in

She

"meagre,

the

prospect

kitchen

him

^^ith

up

in the

Blumine

richer."
dimmed

had

Pale doubt

"

star.

He

infinite!

smile

"

the

real ;"

for the

happiness and hope." Even

hunger bitten philosophy
of young
cousin, "the religion
the fir^tfaintly
approved of"
this poor
youth to do with
drockh

of these."

discerningof

"a

himself

the

to

him

on

him

to

away

and

fantasy
of
heaven-gate and hell-gate
they met again; day after day

true

confidence

"

not

now

one,

In town

man."

was

was

finite,of the

was

she

small

"flame-clad,scaling
heaven, and vergingtowards insanity,
upper
prizeof a high-souledbrunette, as if the

13.

the

And

the

wed

some,

her

"all\
'

had

voice

"

been
we

are

entreaties,
Expostulations,
all

vain ; and

at

last his

64

exclaimed,
started
her

looked

"

audacity he clasped
their lips were
joined,their
dew-drops, rushed into one
and

immortal

made

he

was

two

in

;" she put

his face, tears

in wild

first time

for the

"

his, she

bosom

he

sternness

then, Madam

souls, like

two

with

Farewell

her eyes

to

his

to

"

in

hand

her

him

pride helped

Stung

OF

MANHOOD

EARLY

THE

last."

for the

by

"

And

kiss."

Thus
then

night and chaos again. He

out
a
pilgriminto the cold world to seek
other balm
for
other restingplace,some
soul

his
set
some

fell into

his wounds.

hard-pressed in other ways

his plunge into life and
He
had made
too.
ing
^ouhd no sure footing. His attempts at reachhad, like his author's, been of
a profession
he
little account,
"so
was
exaggerated in
imagining,so boundless in desire, yet here so
But

14.

he

was

in means."

poor

of

aware

were

university
;
had

"

Yet

"certain

his existence

"

established
when

he

isolated,shy, retiringas

men

left the
he

was,

He
altogetherescaped notice."
made
of
acquaintance with a young
person
quality,from the interior parts of England,
Herr
Towgood, or rather Toughgut, connected
he

not

with
which

also

stomach.

the

German

This

is

von
"

Zahdarm,

or
tough gut
strong in
evidentlythe typicalyoung
"

means

Count

TEUFELSDROCKH

AND

65

CARLYLE

Englishman from the public schools, such as

in Charles
Carlyle had to tutor
Duller, the]
trained
youthful John Bull
athletics and
to
comfortable
digestion,but to little else. This^
had a fair talent,unspeakably illToughgut
cultivated ;"
he knew
nothing except boxing
"

"

and

littlegrammar."

Like

Charles

Duller

at

Edinburgh University,"he had travelled

to
Teufelsdrockh's
university in the almost
frantic hope of perfectinghis studies."
Often
would
they condole over the hard destinyof the
"

"

young,
but
not

turned
beard.

"

without

with

out

Often

and

wrongheaded
experiencing the
friendship."Dut
and

also

their talk

and
brilliancy

this young,

time

attribute of manhood

no

its

wants

was

gay ;
wards
"To-

fire."

even

warm-hearted, strongheaded,
"

student

was

obsolete

now

he

"

soon

even

sentiment

understood

if man's

to__U:tilitarianphilosophy,a

near

the"

of
new

soul

is, according

kind

of stomach,

then

union
is but an
spiritual
eating together.
from
the
Thereafter, Herr Toughgut vanishes
autobiography. And the only wreckage from
little patronage
the friendship
from
his
a
was
noble relatives,her ladyshipinviting
him, when
almost
starving,to an aesthetic tea ; she acted

the

patron

of literature

and

art

her

husband
E

66

thought

uprooted,and,

were

life time

his

His

death

with

the

he

us,

shot

partridgesand
pounds of food

broke

into

earth.

connection

this slender

even

during

turned

5,000

million

hundred

Teufelsdrockh's

as

informs

him

epitaph upon

nalism
perfect if jour-

be

would

world

the

OF

MANHOOD

EARLY

THE

aristocracy.

chapter.Getting Under
his biographer
even
Way, describes, as not
from
does, the
hardships Carlyle suffered
in
his career
before he found
twenty to thirty,
15.

whole

The

life.

His

man,

the

hero

had

worst

knew

for; "talented

could
breaks

not

his

open

was

Prince

what

he

best

oyster,

thinking

of Darkness.

yetpoor,
He

for

the

suited

was

wonderfully enough,

finding what
not

of the

out

bashful."
dyspeptical,

unfriended,
years

turned

been

enemy

he

But

of the

spent

him.

world.

He

JHe

off" his neck-halter, his

profession,
leg^al
and bounds
forth,but finds all rigoxousljLfenced
in.
Yet
freedom, though waited
on
by
is not without sweetness."
scarcity,
Necessity
and
hunger urge him on.
Though he had
in law, he
had
passed his first examination
no
His
employment, having no connections.
fellow-auscultators,
or
lawyers, sniffed
young
"

"

at

him

proud;

"

and
"and

his strange
so

shy

He

ways.
man

can

never

was

too

have

TEUFELSDROCKH

been

popular."

had

been

inclined

AND

The

67

CARLYLE

"established

men,"

who

patronisehim, gave him

of genius,"the very reason
up as a man
Jeffrey
and others assigned for refusing
to recommend
Carlyle to professorships
or
editorships.And
letter which
he
received
in reply to
a
his
in
applicationfor the chair of astronomy
Glasgow is quoted here almost literally
; but
for professorship.
assessorshipis substituted
Little wonder
that, like his hero, he adopted "a
"

to

;"
panoplyof sarcasm
be the languageof the
to

protect his poverty

sting.
ishness

How

"

of temper

eked

"

he

sarcasm

devil."
from

could
make

way

man

by

he had

like
torpedo-

with

to

sees

then

But

insult

now

this devil-

for himself

in life?"

livingby privatetuition
in
never
so
languages and sciences ;''
many
and
earned bread-and- water
by his wide
wages
facultyof translation." The result was that he
his chair of Things-inlived till he obtained
in the University of Who-KnowsGeneral
He

out

meagre

"

"

Where,

and

books

in other

or

is_no

^cruder,

more

life than

character

is still undecided, unformed

that

seems

of

this of

of formation
to

have

is
no

mjsgrjjple

earlymanhood.

of
p^eriod

process

writer

journals.

There

16.

words, became

hard

and

in
finality

The
and

the

bitter one,
view.

Tht

68

THE

faculties have

there is

selves,and

confidence

yet found

not

OF

MANHOOD

EARLY

within

achievement

no

jri^themtheir

The
brief and
give them confidence.
and college
of school
successes
half-practical
in the presence
fallen into insignificance
have

reach

to

wider

that makes

of the great world

and

more

If only we
could have our
imperiousdemand.
difficultiesgathered into one
battle,wherein we
wildest strengthand fightour
could put out our

would

best, then

it

is

series

face

to

easy

what

reveal

undauntedly and
alas ! existence

seem

is

in

But

us.

detailed

of

life

and

only at the rarest moments

gloriousconflict or achievement.
work
wearily,often sordidly,for

trivial efforts and

in

culminates
have

We

that

years

have

We

brilliant moment

one

to

toil in

gloom

unnoticed

pityor love, tillfortune

perchance tillthe grave give us

or

7.

man.

has
sorrows

is the

Youngmanhood

the

Then

he is neither

both.

He

has

by

he

is

scorned

any

smile

on

but
us,,

rest.

not

and

he

has

unlearned

passionate caprice of boyhood, nor

the discipline
and self-denial
i known
Now

us"

nondescriptstage
boy nor man
; he

of neither,
privileges

of

crown

may

of

the eye

of

to

has

the
the
he

of experience.

for his immature

opinions,and unkempt emotions ; again he is.

expectedto do the duties of full-grown
faculty.

TEUFELSDROCKH

AND

His_ failures make

has

the

now

him
to

eye

69

CARLYLE

silentlybitter
how

see

;. for

little he

he
do

can

He has
compared with what has been done.
the folly
of boyhood and youth
to recognise
come
that think so meanly of those who have already
achieved
creation
would

that take

and

had

been

have

of the

his view.

He

hands, the world

own

thrown

view

that

opens
up to /
off the trivial irreverences

fit only to

boy, as

deeper

life has

world

new

has

of the

of

that, if the

supremely happy. He has

childish ignorance,
and yet has no

clear view

no

in their

axiomatic

been

laid aside the

But

as

of the

be

laughedat.

impressive mystery

He
opened on his mind.
despisesthe childish judgments of the stage of
growth he has justleft ; yet he can find no safe
substitute
for them.
The
happy and simple
beliefs of earlyyears are fast drifting
of his
out
out
sky, and there is no power within him or withhim
all

to

yet

indecisijpn and

if_povertyadd

And

friends stand behind

him

wrong
wonder

and

of

sarcasm,

that
or

unhappinessin

that he

It is

for his novitiate !

It is little wonder

futile revenge

of faith.

hopelessness and misery.

its sting and
no
powerful
to guide his steps and keep

alas
falling,

from
18.

his world

reconstruct

startle his

he

resort

stifle his

sullen

to
sense

the
of

silence; little

contemners

by

his

70

THE

OF

MANHOOD

EARLY

unexpected bitterness of' cultivate the offensive

Httle conhabit of irony. A
Httle success,
a
fidence
himself

in

shallow
his

futile

and

all such

are

him

teaches

soon

of

means

how-

soothing

be
truly they must
ences,
toys and boyish irrever-

injured vanity, how

classed

with

childish
thrust

be

to

into the

obscurest

corner

as

the

Our author
objectsof shame and contempt.
had passed out of the stage and could afford to
laugh at it ; and with all its conditioningthis is
his view

of it :

"I

have

heard

affirmed

it were
that
unphilanthropicpersons
increase of human
happiness,could

from

men

barrels
there

the age

left

to

follow

otherwise
their

not

real

all young
be covered
under

of nineteen

rendered

or

by

invisible

lawful

studies

and

and

callingstillthey emerged sadder and wiser at

the age
of twenty-five." "Young
gentlemen
do then attain their maximum
of detestability.
Such
gawks are
they, and foolish peacocks,
and
yet with such a vulturous
hunger for selfglorious
indulgence; so obstinate, obstreperous,vain;

No

in all

mortal's

smallest

senses

endeavour

content

the

so
or
as

froward

and

attainment

yet

forward.
will in the

unendeavouring

unattainingyoung
gentleman ;
make
it all infinitely
better, were
him.
Life everywhere is the most

but
it

he

could

worthy of
manageable

TEUFELSDROCKH

simple

matter,

AND

as

CARLYLE

question

in

the

rule

expressing

the

opinion

of

three."

Alas

9.

of

the

so

many

of

life.

! he

world

they

as

which

on

everything

below
of

of

life.

heads

It

should

man

that

this

soon

dispensed

ness

it is

worthy

who

have

Some

in

grant
of

early

the

rest

adolescence

be

stage

stage,
the

speedy
!

with

pity

leap

rather

all

abridgment

of
wise

every

its

than

it.

hurry

should

self-control
over

the

be
he

development
For

and

purgatory
of

prayer

of

learned

years

that
this

the

talking

should

youth

with.
of

It

as

learned

be

must

well

as

yet

wisely.

mongrel

understood

yet

not

stage

judgment

them

but

wise

chaotic

pass

not

have

silence,

every

this

through

must

have

They

their

prayer

they

of

conceit

raw

this

life, above

in

gracious

wagging

through

go

they

them.

and

vanity

think

They

that

but

the

on

on

gift

is

be

offensive-

contempt.
and

ence
rever-

May

heaven

of this

inferno

IV.

LIFE-STRUGGLE

THE

AND

CARLYLE.

OF

whole

The

TEUFELSDROCKH

OF

HEART

THE

of

IN

existencejs

struggle,

take

it

will, and

we

as

is

there
even

in

and

there

the

be

would

flame

of

of
no

of

must

that
is in

far

of

plant
fall in

growth
favour

off;

that

of

destruction
moment

it lives

the

the

somewhat
and

autumn

may

proceed,

of the

whilst

the

the

decay,
trees

rot

same

in

and

the

of

of

The
;

history

the

soil
the

leaves

beneath,
balance

is dissolution
one

not

_-and_the

when

then

could

moment

material

energy.

the

integrati
dis-

there

were

the

process,

is

there

else

the

by

heat,

into

beings

analogy

it lives

burning

decay,

of

moves

and

light

translation
is

and

For

growth,

best

which

on

in

moments

two

The

of

outcome

healthy

continuous

ensue.

fire

towards

most

as

will.

we

movement

strongest,
must

moment

any

perpetual

death

be

at

age

must

not

fall

TEUFELSDROCKH

themselves

AND

that those

of

73

CARLYLE

succeedingone may
flourish. [^ The
whole
earth is in death-grips
with its own
future^^In
sentient lifethe strxiggle
becomes
factor of decay
manifest.
The
more
itself in the

asserts

three

score

most

it is in

live and

we

that

fact the very

die at the same

is

of energy

But
youth and manhood.
as
proceeds unceasingly,
long as

conflict
;

ten

allotted

our

in

apparent

lasts

later stages of

and

years

the
life

of the life ;

essence

moment

; our

tissues

decay that they may grow ; the energy of

integrat
existence must
with its disstruggletirelessly
the
and out
of the disintegration
must

must

energy
2.,

But

problem.

come.

there

is

have

We

in
complication

a
a

life that^is
above

the human
life. Out

of the

to
physicalexistence rises one that seems
be but partially
dependent on it. The soul has
with
intertwined
lower faculties that are closely
theTpdy and suffer from all changes of the
body. But there are loftier faculties that seem

be the stronger, the weaker

which they-areenclosed, and

the frame

to

strugglewith
brighterand
communion
wherein

within

age loses in t"he

physicaldecay they ofttimes grow
close
from
wiser, and withdraw

with

they
dependence on

are

the

as

and

senses

placed.

the mortal

soil

the

They
out

conditions
lose

of which

their

they

THE

74

of

have

to

seem
a

dying

like the seed

sprung, and prepare,
blown
into a
more
borne
or
tree

mould

favourable

OF

HEART

THE

IN

LIFE-STRUGGLE

less

under

type of existence

begin a finer
tions.
trammelling condi-

climate,

and

to

lives in an
in us
higher element
It is for ever
being
atmosphere of.^trtTggle.
by the body and the spiritual
dragged down
the allies of the body. And
faculties that are
that comes_frojii_ their
yet it lives in_the^nergyWithout
^he conflict itjiaswith
disintegration.
decay,itcould not developand strengthen.And
of the struggleand
in those who
weary
grow
3. This

futile or

succumb, it becomes

embruted

it takes

decaying elements, and seems

in life. Its transplantation,
suffer a death
to
be into
when
their body finally
dissolves,must
tinguish
the feeblest form of existence, hardly to be disthe colour of the

annihilation.

from

itself

the

to

it has

decay,that
shadowy.
character
or

to

"

It has

or

not

on,, to

sordid

had

or

the factor of
and

nervous

the inherent

the seductions

of

force of

pleasure

which

no

be lived.

never

continued

subdued

so

fightthat good fight"without

And

or

become

withstand

to

loftier life can

4.

it lives

matter

It has

can

that

in the true

series of

good fightbe begun

flict
spiritunless by a con-

conflicts that

will try every

TEUFELSDROCKH

and

AND

OF

CARLYLE

75

induce

long years of misery and

despair. In the old days of chivalrya knight
was
never
thoughtto be a true knight if he had
nerve

not

forth into the wilds

gone

and

fought for very

It
giants,and ogres.
a

universal

to

be

truth.

life with
is but

There

is

and

monsters,

illustration of

one

point of vantage/

no

least that is worth

point at

no

won,

seek adventure,

to

hold

And
ing,without an almost desperatestruggle.
musli
is it of the higherlife. We
true
especially
advance
by slow conquest of doubt and fear and
laborious
and
trying
des"air; and the most

battle

must

unaccustomed

of

to

be

it has

that remains

fixed

has

as

the

to

be

is

none,
never

life

true

any

There

is

no

immovable

and

that has

body

if it is

alternative

trial and

are\

reached

to

rest

Faith
and

grow

between

is

that

soul

in its creed

is dead.

broken

struggleand change

tissues

our

fray, and the number

are
spiritualenemies
be fought if there
to
soul
of the spirit. The

our

But

unknown.

is

the

to

vigour

and

first,when

come

as

that
must

live.

fierypreliminary
good as

dead.
''

5. One

of the

parts of Sartor

Resartus

conflict in the soul.

book, and

has

important

most

upon

is

It is the

it the

and

record
true

marks

striking
of such

climax
of

of the

personal

76

IN

LIFE-STRUGGLE

THE

THE

OF

HEART

own
Carlyle's
biography
he passed through such a
and letters we
know
entering on full
stage of development when

experience. And

manhood,

from

We

the

take

may

whole

of

the

for there
purely autobiographical,
almost
features in it that belong so
are
no
much
the physicallife and character
to
to
as
the spiritual.

episode

headed

"The

differ

to

life. It

who,

romance

the

at

and

when

married

(who should
when
Irving),

returned

and

have
he

his.

mingle,and
his book
the

had

married

thirty-five

was

another, Jane Baillie Welsh,

to

shs would

fate with

afterwards

He

been

the

her

of the

two

the first and

the

Edward

Resartus.

in 1826,

Features

between

of

He

intellectual

her character

consent,

come

wife

began Sartor
long, stirred

admiration, and influenced

before

author's

and
twenty-three,

was

governor.

her

wooed

he

the

in

of the

Kirkcaldy,that he touched the

in his love for Margaret Gordon,
biddingof her aunt, suppressed the

colonial

had

relations

the

seems

at

affection she
a

and

incidents

the

was

schoolmaster

skirt of

in time

from

chapter

of Teufelsdrockh,"

Sorrows

only

characters
own

in the

beginningof it,recorded

The

6.

as

to

deeply,

unite her

love affairs

the

writingof
long spiritualwarfare,

fightfor securityof

faith and

freedom

of

TEUFELSDROCKH

creed

that

AND

is recorded

OF

in

CARLYLE

']']

the

biography

had

been

of

Teufelsdrockh.
7. As

immortal
had

who

soon

by a farewell
just told him

more," he
Meister

the

as

out

set

"

not

land, he

froifnhis Blumine,

out

set

able,
and

on

meet

as

no

his.

And,
leave

to

tutor

Paris,and

'

Wilhelm

enough

money

was

London

"

"made

to
they were
wanderings,as

novel

in Goethe's

native

kiss

his

on

though Carlylehad
his

hero

to

the

leaving
to find
Kirkcaldyhe had, in his long inability
or
a
profession,what he would
resting-place
in the life of
call his wander-period. It comes
has not his position
who
man
ready made
every
be up and doing,and yet he
He
for him.
must
BuUers,

knows
wanders

to

not

see

what
and

hither

his

net_what, and

he

is fit best

to

on

do.

He

thither in search of he knows

youthfulromance

only adds

to an
; if it comes
tojiisbitterness and sorrow
untimelyend, he feels "precipitatedthrough a

shivered

universe,"and

"

has

only one

of three

"establish himself in Bedlam,

things to do"
(i.e.poetry like
begin writingSatanic poetry
This
his brains."
blow
out
Byron's), "or
sentimentalism
quite
ending in suicide was
fashionable in Europe at the beginning of this
Icentury, and took literaryshape in Goethe's
It
Ifamous book, The Sorrows
of Werther.
"

"

y8

LIFE-STRUGGLE

THE

HEART

THE

IN

that

!!"The Sorrows

of Teufelsdrockh."

had

with

out,

set

healing and

seek
the

of

choler,"and but

own

he

into the

went

filledwith

"

of death

and

and
its

the

what

From

"

But

"A

he

still

slumbered," then
of the

alas ! it

of fate. As

mountains,

only

was

his soul

"

broke

the
in

silence

to

was

it

were

by

the

his

old

his lost
Towgood, and
withered
basilisk-glance

love
"

"

of

"life became

country

on

lovingones

"

ones

wheels, and

little remnant

condition

his

down

"

four

That

last look

eternityand immensity,
life,"and was
holding comspiritof^the earth, a
gay

of

college friend
Blumine.

soul, lockingup

of

murmur

with

Ibarouche
Isound of

had

took

the cruellest blow

munion

to

"

solitude

still seeking peace.

meet

hand,

in

"

buried

"his

and

dwelt"

He

speaking only "of

journals,"consuming his
transiently
knittingthose

where
village,

native

his

He

brows."

shaggy

kiss.

silent,"and

and

meek

weather, and

the

him

ing
of his love affair in his breast,becom-

secret
"

for his

rest

chapter,

trial before

worse

by a farewell
his pilgrim staff

immortaHsation

than

up

had

the hero

For

8.

this

Carlylewrites

'is in imitation

OF

to

purpose

wholly
country,

dark

from

he may

up

have

labyrinth."
condition

to

from his own

shadow.
glided,
flying
nameless unrest_ur^[ed
him forward."
He

TEUFELSDROCKH

pilgrimed

"

to

fled

and

great
but

great events,
He

with

"

whole

AND

to

men,

found

CARLYLE

there

great
was

infernal

chase

in

not, like

of sorrows,

copiousSatanic verse, or, like a

and murder-shrieks
cannon
-volleys

but "on

cities,to

healing."

his rear."

in
"

no

79

hunger always parallelto

his volume

wrote

OF

the insensible

earth

with

him
He

Byron,
Napoleon, in
of

world,"

his shoe-soles

only."
The
chapterthat follows,headed
have
the record of his
Everlasting No," we
wearisomely
deepestdespair; "as he wanders
lost all tidings
through this world, he has now
of aLnofher and a higher." Full of religionai
he was
then wholly irre
he afterwards
was,
into unbelief,"and
had darkened
ligious
; doubt
faith is properlythe
for man's well-being,
yet
one
thing needful"; "with it martyrs, other-,
wise weak, can
che^fullyendure the shame and
without
the cross
it, worldlingspuke up
;
their sick existence
by suicide,in the midst of
\
moral
like
his,
nature"
For
a
luxury."
pure
belief was
the loss of
"the loss of religious
have
everything." Once a creed, which we
without
been
question,
brought up to revere
,

9.

In

the

"

"

"

"

"

begins to

crumble

unanswerable
toward

the

under

the

assault

of

some

doubt, the process is slow but sure

misery of creedlessness,at least in

8o

THE

LIFE-STRUGGLE

and

this behef

fighton
this

was

on

unsurpassed misery
his twentieth

between

It may

stand

that, but

ever

darkness.

into

downward

it retreat

must

and

and

OF

HEART

mind.
thoughtful

and

the honest

THE

IN

that

It

Carlyle feh

thirtieth years.

And

the horrors of dyspepsia

mingled with it were
"gnawing like a rat at the pit of his stomach,"
and
and
sleeplessness,
leavinghim exhausted
desperate.Yet in the midst of his wretchedness
he refused to
grind out," with the utilitarian,
from the husks
of pleasure." He
"virtue
was
stillconscious of duty,of virtue,though he could
"

find

basis

no

have

would

for the

and

foundation

of

none

aim

in

ideas

faith

and

their
of

happiness as
If what
good.
"

he
the
thou

happinessbe our true aim, then are we

With
and sound
stupidity
digestion
astray.

namest

all
man

front much.

may

unimaginativedays
to

the diseases

but

on

there
us

ease

are

of the

cookery let
brandishingour

offer
on

elect."

sweet

the

Wretched

the "whole

in

the

terrors

with

to

dull

of conscience

that
his

sold

the

on

devil and

live at

has

provided for his

his digestiontroubles
hero's spiritualstate.

body, stillmore
world

Not

in these

morality,
build our
us
stronghold;
let
as
frying-pan,
censer,

thingshe

It is here

identifyhim

what

liver !

incense
fat

But

to

wretched

in soul,

unbelief,""hearing

TEU-FELSDROCKH

all sides

on

our

the

his

universe,

never

"

the

crush

infinite

dimly present

"

for

the

cried,

following
"

duty
livingwithout
;
not
lighthe was

still

was

"

God's

not

theory of

me

head,
thy God-

he will

of

nature

him

to

world, of

'

true

is

'

heavens

The

Where
him

saw

CARLYLE

religion. Truth,'

true

'though the
her.'

'

pursuit of

OF

question,

eyes

abandon

"

AND

in

God

utterly

bereft."
What

lo.

No

knows

man

done

he needed

it.
that

work

to

it is the weakness

what

see

at."

But

he

as

had

tempted by
had

he

find

vanished.

Only

he

remained

have
but

;
"

dimly

in

articulate."

thyself"should
thou

work

canst

even

The

none.

but

were

would

withheld
Christianity
years

in

him

the devil

certain

nothing,and had,
himself.
Hungering

forgottenthat they were

Glad

done

could

around

women

render

what

yet had

"

dwells

Know

"

Know

"

he
friendship,

and

can

confidence

therefore,no

of

it is fit for.

only our works

impossibleprecept
into

tillhe has

hood
earlymanabout, tryingwork after

self-consciousness

be translated

him

trulyin

which

The

for

is

it is tossed

inarticulate
us,

what

And

action,performance.

was

not

figures. He
matic.
merely auto-

been

to

even

belief in

certain

men

be

devil

after-shine

of

him

from

suicide."

in

this

desperate state,

Long

82

IN

LIFE-STRUGGLE

THE

OF

HEA^IT

THE

of he
apprehensive,
;" tremulous, pusillanimous,
iknew
"

Infernal

him, "What

upon

art

Well, death, and

Death?

Tophet, too
Tophet come,

then

base

thou

Hast

of

will

fear

the

sultryday in
doubting saint,"

one

of the

Street

questioncame
of?

But

what,"

not

the

pangs
heart ?
Let

and

meet

it."

defy

him

from

afraid

thou

say

not

the

forever.

He

shook

The

No, the eternal negationof sin,

everlasting
principleof denial and doubt that lives for
of truth and goodness in the
the shadow
as

away

the
ever

universe
worst

thou

his soul ; it had

said

fatherless,outcast,

and

with
art

the

mine,

devil

short, the

in

"

devil's."

Shadow

had

"

to

done

him,

the

"

"

answer,

ever

hate

birth

or

not

am

thee."

though

This

and

worship

had

is

it is of
it

ever

there is
he

had

thine, but free^and for

his

was

new
spiritual

conversion, equivalentto what

Templars, who
anism,

Behold

universe

goodness,of omnipotence, of God, yet

tries to persuade the human
spiritthat
The
whole
God.
no
spiritual
energy
made

its

tolerate

to

come

according to
god Baphomet,
so,

the

old

Mahomet-

their enemies,
called

their

to

fire-

his entrance
into manhood
"baptism. It was
;
his emancipation not
the narrow
only from
the fears that
beliefs of early life,but from

i ollowed

on

their ruin

he

could

stand

upright

TEUFELSDROCKH

AND

and

fearless in the

fate

might

come.

This

is

II.

to

have

been

OF

83

CARLYLE

world, ready for whatever

acknowledgedby Carlylehimself
incident

an

in his

life,his I

own

enfranchisement
spiritual
in

moment,

Leith

occurringalmost
Walk, Edinburgh. He

free,free from the trammels

beliefs.

sectarian
gone
and

out

to

Like

Palestine

of doubt

as

well

in

was

of

as

the

to

Templars, who had

fightagainstthe pagans,

nobler
in their lives
findingthem
Christian
and moralitythan their own
selves,^
element that underlay
began to see the common
all religions,
he had thrown
the particular
over

who,

of sects,

tenets

and

yet

come

to

feel that

the

and morality,
the principles
religion
eternal in all worships,need not be rejected

essentials of
that

are

with

He

them.

had

reached

that

centre

forms and conventions,

special
tolerance of antagonistic
that quietphilosophic
the Templars returned
with
sects, which, when
it to
Europe, made the Church burn them as
with quite different eyes
infidels. He looked
of the world, and, though still
the spectacle
on
of indifference

to

wretched,

free

shows
nature

was

of life.

He

to
saw

find his way beneath

the
the spiritual
invisible

of all the institutions of man,

government, visible and

products were,

law,
skill,

tangiblethough

cities with

their

cabinets

their
and

84

THE

LIFE-STRUGGLE

IN

arsenals, tilled fields, with

had

things,the
"

thou

The

who

able

art

and

write

centuries,or

two

book

true

he

enduring of all
wonderworking.

most

to

and

book, which

oftener, there

is

whom

they
giftedto do, envy not,,him whom
and
city-builder,
pity him
inexpressibly
or
they name
city-burner."
conqueror

The

Hebrew

have

used

man
name

of

war,

Bible

He

will outlast all the cities that

still be

it, and

wisdom.

'

the

talismanic

most

in the

once

think

to

come

roads

their

chieflybooks.

bridges,and

OF

HEART

THE

lightand
tragicforce

through the
who quarrelnot

those

wildlyby one another,

stand safelyin the rear.
libraries,great

of

source

too,

saw,

in which

whilst those
He
and

scenes,

found

Napoleon to be a
preached "through the

are

who

great

divine

men,

and

missionarywho

cannon's

throat, that

'

'

is

quarrel

visited all great

career
great doctrine, an untrammelled
the talents,' the tools to him
that can

them,' which

slain

for all
handle

ultimate

political
evangel,
wherein alone can
lie." Wild _andir-othy:
liberty
his utterances, as is
imperfect,were
ranting;_and
the way

with
But

then

and

to

see

;which

our

all

"

enthusiasts

the less did he

none

Europe

to

his

the transcendent
has made

and

mind

first missionaries."

convert

France

gospel. The hero came

meaning of gunpowder,
and mere
resistless,
body

TEUFELSDROCKH

AND

OF

85

CARLYLE

powerless,"savage animalism nothing,inventive

all." He
to
spiritualism
came
laugh at the
comedy of the little spitfires,
the
duellists,
wondrous

manikins,

pieces in

the

Unfathomable.

the greatest mortals

hunters

blowing

he

and

each
He

had

shadow-hunted
how

saw

poor

other

or
was

to

found
shadow-

even

the

how
insatiable.
The
greatest ambition, and
which conquerors
be so
to
seem
very earth, on

much, is but
he

was

the
of

paltrylittle dog-cage." Thus

coming to the end of his journey through

centre

"

of indifference

tolerance,to

for this is the climax

feel the

of man
insignificance
and his dwelling-place,
and of his glories
against
the infinitude of night. This
was
a
great
advance
the paralysis
of denial,the negative
on
But it
electric pole of the
No."
everlasting
still incapable of leading to action.
It
was
meant
only freedom, and not power.
"

1 2.

There

is stilla further stage in the wisdom

reachingit are recorded

Yea."
The
in the chapterheaded
Everlasting
There
Carlyleholds that there is no approach
ness
it except through temptationsin the wilderto
must
decipherthe true meaning of our
; we
that tempt
with the demons
natures
by fighting
of

and the
life,

of

means

"

us

in

this desert

that
necessity

hems

of life.
us

Around

in and

seems

us

there is

to

paralyse

86

imprisonus ; within
fundamental
meaning,
How
think, speak,work.
and

the

OF

is in its

is life which

us

freedom"
are

we

freedom
to

to

reconcile

only by findingthe
the idea of duty or

It is

contradiction

HEART

THE

IN

LIFE-STRUGGLE

THE

necessitythat is within us,

bonds, that we
self-imposed

shall find

freedom

gallingdesire and
God within
for pleasures.The
savage demands
is silently
us
urging us towards the good and
noble, but the animal is there too, and shouting
without

aloud

from

freedom

us,

its demands

and

in

the

conflict

that

usuallythe latter that is listened to.

doing,'
Work
thou in wellThe
God-given mandate,
written in Promethean
lies mysteriously
hearts," but "the
propheticcharacters in our
Eat thou and be filled at
clay-givenmandate,
time
the
same
persuasivelyproclaims itself
It is in
through every nerve."
grim solitudes,"
and
natural desert
of rocks
not
merely the
in the populous moral
desert of
sands," but
it is

ensues

'

"

'

'

"

"

"

selfishness and

baseness," that this latter tempter

vanquished, in the
atheistic century," through
and fasting." "That
suffering
must

the

be

street

wilderness

"

of the Inferno

of Teufelsdrockh's

battle
be

'worship

me

answered

valiantlywith

or

long years of
in
high moment
the turning-point

was

"when
in

torn
an

an

"

"

of

the fiend said

shreds,' he
'

Apage,

was

Satana

'

TEUFELSDROCKH

(Get thee
to

AND

behind

temporary
;

he

of

done

was

87

CARLYLE

Satan)." This victoryled

the spirit,
the centre
differe
of in-

me,

rest

OF

with

false shadows

"

of

he would
hope'"and "haggard spectres-aCfear."
there
rest
it but to
die."
were
Healing
awoke
him, and_he J^'
over
sleep came
to a new
"

"

"

heaven
active

and

moralityhad
to

pleasure,in

refuse
the

been
the

All

claims

in the

of

to

gave

had

his

mination
deter-

nature

the

to

animal

"happilyaccom-

of self"

all religion,
is
morality,

tillthis is reached.

m^k

the first step of

taken

him, he

plished annihilation
13.

For

negativehe

fiend within

and

earth."

new

but

hollow

At this stage the whole

world

before
changes. Hfliure, which seemed
of
to be a mere
fermentingvat and laboratory
is now
the livinggarment
of God.
a world
The
"The
Deity "lives and loves" in all men.
"

"

universe
house

is
with

man

power

the

shrine

and

was

to

my

all

patheticthe life of
to lose
pleasures,

to

sorrow,

thought and action. It

of
happiness that isthe.origin
wise

and

the brotherhood

revealed

of Godlike

charnel-

seemed

now

renounce

about

Godlike,

but

how
history,

sight of self,had
mankind,

demoniacal,

beautiful

How

fate and
! The

and

spectres,

Father's."
human

dead

not

open

the

portalto

the kernel
is the

evil. As

of

of all

pursuit of

long as

88

LIFE-STRUGGLE

THE

makes

man

IN

THE

OF

HEART

this his firstobjectand

aim,

nothing

permanently satisfyhim, nothing short of

infinite universe
God's
altogetherto himself,
and fillevery
wish as
therein to enjoy infinitely
will
"

fast

there is the infinite in him,

it rises." For

as

and, if that go to pamper

have
him, he will never

the animal, the finite in

the satisfactions
-will

It is

peace.

not

in increasi

desire that anyone

of

approach happiness,but by decreasing

Like
the desire.
the Stoics and Diogenes the
cynic,he holds that the more
you reduce your
needs, the more
possessions you will have ;
make
thy claim of wages a zero ; thou hast the
world under thy feet
; he is the wealthiesLJffiJho
has fewest
and
Have
done
cheapest desires.
with the vulture-swodp^after
carrion
the
of
he bids all men
Close thy Byron"
happiness,
;
ever

"

"

"

with

its crude

vanities, and
laments

indignationsand

wild

demoniac

disappointed
ambitions
and
wounded
pride,and
Open thy
its wise, quiet, half-oracular
Goethe," with
It is only with renunciation
sayings like this :
that life,properlyspeaking,can
be said to
begin."
over

"

"

"

14.

that
I^isrenunciation, self-forgetfulness,

is the foundation

of all true

moralityand

all true

religion.For happinessis not what-jna.n lives

for, but a higher blessedness,in other words,

TEUFELSDROCKH

the

AND

development of

should

towards
God.

be

This

him, by

jection
sub-

if afflictions drive him

(''Love

pleasure"love

not

is the,everlasting.
Yea, wherein

contradiction
and

in

element.
pleasure-seeking

thankful

this truth.

89

CARLYLE

the GodHke

of the animal,
H

OF

is solved

wherein

works, it is well with hirn."

whoso

all

walks.,

It is this that

is the

perennialprincipleof religion
; it is this
that makes
wise
men
inspired prophets and
priests. And_n"V"r_was-it-50 nobly,so divinely
the "worship
taught,as in theC-hristiaji religion,
of sorrow," the worship of all that bears wjth
others. God's hand
H|s
gladness_the-sorrQiKS_Q"
if only they
written it on the hearts of all men,
The kingdom of
would
learn to read it there.
"

heaven
you
very

are

is within

not

in

ideal world

some

for,but
-"r-longing
picturing

ever

duty

you,"

that

lies

to

hand

your

there will flash from

the divine

the. walls

nature

of

your

do

in the

it^ and

handwriting on
new

revelation.

have
must
a
Every age, every race, every man
peculiarlanguage or dialect to express it in, but
it is fundamentally the same.
Voltaire, the
turned
scepticand destroyer,may think he has overa
religion,
religion
; he has only defaced
form that is essentially
a
ephemeral; he has not
that is
the Christianity,
touched
the religion,
We
are
man.
written_eterjially
iiLthe^heartof

thinkingthat

ever

will hst the best in

circumstances

no

show

us

HEART

THE

OF

different conditions

and

new

itself;but there

that,if used well, will

in

divine

the

to

vent

IN

LIFE-STRUGGLE

THE

90

our

are

give
It is duty_
the^inner

natures.

done, action, that flashes lightupon

not

is no
true
capacities.There
worship but in accomplishingwhat offers to our
hand.
Whatsoever
thy hand findeth to do, do
while it is called
it with all thy might.'' Work
no
man
can
to-day,for the night cometh when
We
the religious,
work."
or
are
especially
ever,
or
phiianthropical,
reforming amongst us, eager
of everybody else,whilst we
do the work
to

of

secrets

our

"

"

leave

our

immediate

feel all

duties undone

or

half done

or
capable of acting heroically
greatlyif only we had such and such a person's
we

so

work

to

do, and

work

in.

There

devil's work

in

15. We
reverences

grow
under

influence.

such

and

is

better

no

life,or

such

conditions

way

of

to

doing the

undoing the divine,

this ^pragmatical neglect of
than
own
our
immediate
duties.
The
noblest DL_all-p.cayer
Iis a deed ; the noblest of all worship is to do
las best we can
the duty that is nearest
our
to
Ihand.

the

harsh

up

the

of

into
shelter

beliefs

our

of

our

and

household

loving father's hand keeps

judgments of the world, and all

off
its

TEUFELSDROCKH

AND

sneers.
shrivelling

truth of heaven
hearts.
hand

All

of the ages
It

detail of their
breath
what

the

past
seems

have

moralityand

they love, and

to

We

know

we

from

the

misgiving

birth.

it is

The

they
has

us

whole

we

round

us

have

dominanc
pre-

world

is filtered through their minds.

where

to

love

to

come

what

reverence

our

our

accept every

reverenced, unless the fiend within

from

upon

religionas

us.

the very

received

natural

as

air around

knee

take without

we

fall like dew

to

they

CARLYLE

mother's

seems

that

hesitance.

or

At

OF

Even

rejecttheir influence it is
as
atmosphere. And
long as
to

seem

like

an

we

rest

beneath

in

the

shadow

their roof-tree and

of

their

take

shelter

beliefs, doubts

and

But sooner
questionsfall harmlesslyupon us.
later we
face J:heworld_and listen to
must
or
the thousand
competing views of religionand
morality. We begin to see the force of what it
urges,

and

problems of

as

seemed
to

and

shelter
to

crumble

us

to

has
and

almost
dust

our

grown

to

answers

the

traditional

own

contradiction.

around

out

souls

which
has
hiding-place,
the whole universe, begins

under

the

attacks

thoughts.Stone by stone
clutch at it though we
may

wider

away,

its

full of mutual

are

fabric which
their

that

life contradict
and

reverences,

The

find

we

of

reason

it moulders

with

all the

THE

92

passion. And at last,if we live in an

advancingthought and growing criticism

of

stand

to

seem

we

souls

our

itself seems

to

ourselves

with
1

There

6.

when

no

reverence
can

And

faith

no

join

we

that which

we

respect the

we

How

have

other

blackness
would

we

the

waters

be faced

satisfied.
into

is

and

beneath
must

can

can

we

had

how

are

work

to

terrors
none

the universe

us?

we

pose.
pur-

aim, when

helplessruin

work, when

to

human

or

How

faith when

any

black,

numbed.

How

from

into lies in

grown
we

to

divinfe

of others, when

purposes

wholly fallen

has

?"

the

bitter blasts buffet and

any

aimless

and

work

under

shelterless

frowning heavens, whose

paralyseus, heedless of
Every energy is
bend

OF

HEART

THE

of

might
age

IN

LIFE-STRUGGLE

And

the

stage of life,when

the

of

nightso hem us round,

so
gladlysink into oblivion,
of despair. But
the world
necessities

it is well

of

that

life

must

sink

cannot

we

be

the

lethargy that hopelessness induces.

Our duties call us
from
out
our
brooding,and
in action we
begin to feel free again. We cast
aside the fears that have
and
our

made

our

whole

fancy painted on

outlook

vanish

between

when
the

weakened

life

our

resolution

the

pithless.The terrors
gloom of our desperate

we

have

voice

learned

of the

to

guish
distin-

fiend and

the

TEUFELSDROCKH

voice

of

crouch

the

when

there Hes

Why

should

have

the

we

sense

anything that
make

us

in life,
or

ifwe

death

even

feel within

the

us

"

itself,

divinity

them

ends, rough hew

shape our

how

will."
17. The

us

us.

'

occurs

pause,

that doth
we

93

Why should we
attacks of questioning
thought,
whole world of duty before us ?
fear aught in this life,if we
should
of work
done ? Why
within

god

before the

CARLYLE

OF

AND

spreadsthe

above

us

of the conflict clears

smoke

calm,
atmosphere of summer
azure
sky of God, stretching
lambent
with the
of thought,

is the

have

ever

in presence
with

of

been

so

clamant,

shore

world-flecked he

of existence

life, humiliated

and
at

ocean

is

man

ments
achieveof

being,

whiten

sees

aimless

and

night ? How
poor
ambitions
against the
our
! Dumb
we
eternity
grow
our

ant-like

the immeasurable

life each

rebellious

so

What

this infinitude.

before

marvel

appetitiveself

our

as

complaintsand

vastness

We

worlds.

his puny

whose

around

soft

beyond all bounds

pityinglightof countless
that so
petty a thing
should

into

are

trackless spaces
as

think

we

the brief
our

own

all
of

of the

of
triviality
vanity and

self that has

petulance. It is the poor sensuous
made
overweening in our claims,so foolish
so
us
and

arrogant

in

our

utterance

of them.

Arid

LIFE-STRUGGLE

THE

94

there

all without

marvel

the

lies upon

lower

self of

We

it.

with

slingsand
material

debasement

part of all that

an

element
of

tude
the

creeds
the

we

that claims
the

feet

of earth.

We

is God's

hearts, and

our

again
no

as

of

deathless

souls.
nobler

And

has

reverence

round

of the old

this

as

are

nucleus

beliefs,safe from

their

watch
sneer

the

without

taken

us

vasti-

and

can

with
root

of

within
us

in

worship
hands."
in

gather
the

the

sceptic.

of himself

"

the

through

the

more

merely

we

the

we

ephemeral language and form. We

again,and need no
temples made
A

after
there-

is within

maker

question

not

the

is divine.

kinshipwith
Spiritthat moves

revelation

own

"

keep

pride that

There

fear

the

shall

firm

are

"

fortune

self that

worlds, their

worldling,or

There

into

bear

can

as

nobler

survey.

being,with
Our

much

passes

unnumbered

guide.

spiritthe

our

claim little of the

We

have

mechanism.

identifyourselves

we

murmur.

that

desire, vanquished

can

world, only as

alive.
spirit
^i2". For we
Our

soulless

of outrageous

arrows

Hfe

follyof thinking

exorcised, and

are

without

us, of the

more

the

of

sense

appetite and

OF

HEART

the battlefield of

No

slain.

THE

infinitya

of

There

and

us

upon

grows

guidesthe

IN

our

the

gnawing

AND

TEUFELSDROCKH

of

power

doubt.

brotherhood

of

"

The

soul

Hath

divine
loftier

may

meaning

Work
cometh

our

be

the

when

is

to

it

no

is

man

all

mandate,

called

can

the

who

ihose

do

do

we

there

for

"

our

highest
after
is

new

Whatsoever
all

to-day,

for

work."

and

come

with

it

their

new

of

part

And

do,

with

upon

that

that

divine

hand-fiadeth
while

love

"noble.

more

in

the

afar.''

from

souls

human

feel

jabour

we

is

all

star

cometh

and

setting

human

race,

life's

our

us,

all

We

footing.

worship

thy:

of

puts

for

within
its

kinship

fellows,

u"

is

elsewhere

source

them

of

noblest

man.

that

had

the

And

But

95"

CARLYLE

OF

thy
the

might.
night

V.

OF

PHILOSOPHY

THE

It has

I.

of

been

thejonivsEse
to

its

to

the

the

infinitude

^, unless

of

it have

appeal
From

Only
sages

most

object

spirit,of

require

form
now

and

to

of

the

body

prophets,
the

The

objects

able

of

the

there

worship.

futile

is

fornTTo

of

type

mind.

embodiment
of

sense

not

are

realise

to

in

reverence.

who

men,

divine

uninfluenced

the
is

in
state

the

The

is

emotional

no

unexpressed
grosser

It

worshipper.

is

rarest

unjverse

material

more

of

man

it.

definite

personal

thoughtful

are

lineaments.

the

of

worship

some

their

rouse

human,__coiidit-ions,

the

For

idea

but

any

principle Jn

of the

revelation

outside

imagination
abstract

for

lies

religion.
as

mere

that

the

to

stimulus

human

clear

living principle, andjof__the___beingof

problem

And

the

informing

its

to

find

to

for

expression

vivid

and

difficulties

greatest

nation

and

age

every

the

of

one

CLOTHES.

by
human

of

sation,
civili-

embodiment
more

refined

THE

and

noble

will

be

human

The

lowest

worship the stocks

that have by some
to

have

Their
chance

all

of

of accident

outcome

been

the

worship is
connection

the innumerable

OF

CLOTHES

97

thought becomes, the purer

of knowing and
having
impalpableand unseen.

its power
from
the

stimulus
2.

PHILOSOPHY

or

religionsare but the

chance.
Savage tribes

and

stones

coincidence

cause

based

of
on

the

seemed

animals
to

them

good or ill fortune.

the fallacy
of taking

for causal
fetish

or

relation.

worshipsof

Hence

African

and

peoples. And in our folk-lore and

that stillhaunt
the half-recognised
superstitions
educated
of even
the minds
people there are
the relics of what once
was
or
might have been
of the forms
of
such
a
worship. In many
there survive shreds of ceremonies
Christianity
the
and
practicesthat in the far past were
Idols
of chance.
expressionof such a religion
to
elementary civilisation what
again gave
other

wild

the educated
to
metaphors and similes are
the senses
to give to
worshipper. They seem
form to
the sensuous
imaginationa concrete
or
their
address
appeals or
which
they may
gratitude.And so far they are an advance on
the mere
fetish,the god that accident throws in
of ignorance. But
they reveal a
the way
the
of
imaginative and
rudimentary state

98

is

that
powers
kind of reverence.

reasoning
nobler

One

3.

when,

the

of
in

as

CLOTHES

OF

PHILOSOPHY

THE

incapable of

is reached

higher stages

Buddhism

the

Confucianism,

or

is accepted as the
man
great-hearted
the ordinaryworshipper and
between
medium
Then
Unseen
the
Spiritof the Universe.
of the religionraisingman
there is a chance
him
above his material surroundings
; ii teaches
wise and

find

to

bound

life above
his

to

It

passions.
and

enables

pursuits, or
his
whole
spiritualises

him

to

religioncivilises
than

better

that is

interest

sordid

all the

his

use

and mixed

the animal
a

life,an

the
art

or

evil

nature

to

subdue

in him.

Such

reason

elements

his

not

peoples
science

it

persuades

or

commerce

of the world.
4.

But

time

comes

antiquated and

grown

when

its forms

when
stiff,

the

have

morality

of its adherents

beginsto palpitatewith nobler

intellect longs to be emancipated
emotions, when
from
its trammels.
The
better spirits
see

its faults

and

crudenesses

the

clearer

galledby its inconsistencies and

futile explanationsof the universe.
Science
probes deeper into the realities of material
to laugh at its mythic or
phenomena and comes
of things.
poeticattempts to realise the cause
reasoners

are

THE

It is then

PHILOSOPHY

that

becoming the
method

some

of

the

to

nearer

OF

CLOTHES

99

philosophysteps in,and, without

slave of religion,
tries to discover
of statement
that will approach
of the distracting
essence
problem

existence.

It

takes

the

poetic and

more

figurativerepresentations of religionand,
findingthe abstract meaning behind, attempts
reconcile

to

scientific

it

imaginative
realise
few

the

of
interpretation

reconciliation

concrete

with

the

thinkers

Nature.

again
form for the popular mind.
divinityapart from metaphor
behind

get

can

ceremonies

put

the

more

And

and

poets

new

and

newer

this
and

seers

into

more

Few

can
^

and

simile;

shapes and

sensuous

religionand breathe in the rare

abstractions.
And
atmosphere of philosophical
are
advancing towards a stage in which
yet we
all will be able to dispense with the material
form in the reverential mood, and only in their
degenerateand sordid states resort to sensuous
moulds
for worship. Meanwhile
philosophy is
the handmaid
of religion,
guiding it away
from its old paths of ignorance and blindness,
times.
of the new
into the clearer light
5. And
doubt

every

and
between

new,

is

of

to

have

man

in

our

conflict between
reason

any

and

of

time
the

old

racking
and

emotion, must,

intellegtualrest,

find

the
if he
some

PHILOSOPHY

THE

lOO

for himself.

solution

He

principlethat
his

and

reverence

CLOTHES

OF

must

will

some

see

permit

him

the

yet accept

ciling
recon-

retain

to

and

newer

apparentlytruer explanationsof the dilemmas

if he is tohe must
have
of being. Reverence
with high aspirations
be a spiritual
creature
;,
he must
have, if his moralityis to be
reverence
And, on the
anythingbut hollow convention.
other

hand, he

lightthat
do with

so

long loved

the

and

within

reason

of facts.
march

gives,conflict though it seem

thoughts and forms that he has
reverenced.

himself,

to

his

of
of

thinkers

cannot

new

have

race

cannot

be

higher faculty,the
rejectthe manifest logic,

advance

with

and

try

yet

thought
let

He

the

to

him, and

He

current

new

science

to

true

take into his soul the

must

forth

that

the
to

onward
the

stem

discoverers
the

upon

and

civilised

world.
6.

It is well that this conflict and

reconciliation
have

should

not

come

attempt

at

till the faculties

something like maturity; else the

mind
might fall back upon flippancyand the
soul go naked
of reverence
into its life-struggle
There
should be some
some
reasoning powers,
the false and
the
capacityof dividingbetween
true,

before

reached

some

the

permanency
foundation;-,

of
of

moral
the

principle,,

older

beliefs

THE

PHILOSOPHY

shaken.

are

"of shallow

CLOTHES

shall

we

scepticism and

reinforced.
in life as

Else

OF

And

there

this,to be left

is
to

Id

have

the

ranks

sneering frivolity
no

the

fate

terrible

so

of every
of moral

mercy

irreverent

caprice or passion, void

blown
hither and
thither by desire
principle,
and
wind
of pleasure. Nothing will a
every
abandoned
"man
so
to his lusts ever
accomplish
in the world, nothing that is worthy of regard
love.

or

his

and

curse

fellows,however

he may_e^ract

from

life.

7. It is this that
when

he

bad

come

and

he

wished
had

to

express

the

Goethe

same

of the mystery

h_imj:est.He had
reverences
slipfrom
of

Carlylefelt

strongly

most

He
thought out Sartor Resartus.
through great tribulation and conflict,

others, who
statement

loathingwill he be to
much
of seeming delight
a

and

his

to

himself

battle

to

of life that

felt all the

old

his grasp, and

indomitable
own

and

to

the
fight,
had given
tenets

by

and

the aid

will and

he was
able to gather from the
principle,
wreck
enough to pilothim safelythrough the
had
He
found
of life.
a
storm
reconciling
firm footing to his morality
that gave
principle
and
reverence.
H_e had looked behind the^
and thought he
shows
of creation
and
masks
had seen
reality.He" would throw his results
moral

THE

102

into

PHILOSOPHY

OF

CLOTHES

half-humorous, half-earnest form, that the

might not be repelledby the appearance

the strange book
of mere
preaching. Hence
Resartus
Sartor
professesto select from
; he
the papers of a German
or
journalist
professor
of thingsin general; and he bringsout his own
world

for convention

contempt

as

well

as

his

own

problem of belief, whilst he

his own
narrates
spiritualhistory in battling
he
towards
it, when
pretends to edit the
of his hero.
.autobiography
/ 8. But the philosophy of Clothes is the gist
of

solution

'

of the metaphor
life.__By_means
imply that in all things there is an
and
inner
an
meaning. Inhuman
and
all political
and
social institutions,

of his satire
he
outer

would
form

"intercourse

the
outer

the

on

conscious

adoption

shell leads in almost

all cases

vice, injustice,
or
falsity. But

of
to

mask

or

absurdity,

iajhe-wneen-

is ai
eternal truth that there is
scjous_wflrld..il;
^behind the material mask and show,
ever
spirit
is the everlasting
eiement~that
and that spirit
the decaying power
withstands
of time
and
Thus in one
figurehe is able to include
space.
the deepest philosophyand the lightest
satire.

by the belief that the inoer^ life^and

history of the philosophet"is__-essentiaLlfX.
comprehension of his philosophy,Carlyle was
And

THE

able

introduce

to

of his

growth

beliefs and
9.

PHILOSOPHY

He

introduces
in

had

swallows

his

he

its conflicts and

chair

to

of

salaryor

no

beer and

entertdins

knows-where

with

come

the world

us

his

his

his tobacco

puffsout

the

intellect of

Who-

philosophy,the thought

him

upon

from

beneath

he

as

lonelyattic

of souls
sees

the

side

and

stars

above
comes

looked

out

but

seem,

whole

and

realitya

uniforms.

consoles
him

him
from

the

the

woe

sight.

tide

life,proceed

nothing

in the

the

He

its farcical side

and

scenes

Out

of clothes-

tragi-comedy of

interniingled
; and
to

in

on

watch-tower

or

torrent

mere

in bodies

hidden

with its solemn

that

him,

it would

as

in

endowment

Wahngasse or street of illusions.

of eternityand
into eternityhe watches
and
in
of humanity come
torrent
go
screens

as

things

in the

street

the

of

provision for the delivery of

professor has his real chair
Goose
Coffee-house, where, as

The

that had

features

with

new

had

Green

smoke,

IO3

Teufelsdrockh

the

no

lectures.

he

main

soul

own

general,which

in the

the

CLOTHES

environments.

established

and

OF

but

by
the

and

despair

He

has

no

respect for the trappingsof the rich and great

their poor
that conceal
realityfrom common
eyes

he

sees

underneath

them

and

judges the

"

THE

I04

PHILOSOPHY

apart from

man

the

king

for

no

"

knows

littlemore

have

oftentimes

his mantles

in the

And

lo.

past

of infinite

been

marked

the

section

of his

eras

for

of the

cast-metal

inextinguishable
laughter;

to

that

than

purpleof

smock

the

Proposal

"

the

counts

different from

stirs him

he

He

them.

Richter's

clown.

king

as

CLOTHES

OF

the

and

monarch

is

trappingsT

historyof man, clothes

significance
; they have

of his evolution

and

the

first

though called, in
imitation of Montesquieu's Spiritof Laws, the
Spirit of Clothes, is a mere
ethnology and
He
historyof mankind.
laughs at the futility
of the cause-and-effect
has
philosophy which
and yet he acknowledges that
been the fashion,clothes
have
influenced
the
thoughts and
of
emotions
and
influenced by^
been
men
And
he begins at the beginning by
them.
a
picture of the aboriginalsavage, warming
himself in the toils of the chase or amid dry
work,

great

leaves

in

his hollow

mantle

of hair ; yet out

he

had

his natural

of him

had

come

tree

"the

heaven-inspiredand melodious
singer and
amber-locked
snow-and-rose-bloom
thy own
"

"

maiden."

It

the
forth

thy

is human

marvellous
act,

thy

act

has

transformation.

word

ever-working universe

that

into the
;

unnoticed

plished
accom"

Cast

ever-living,
to-day

it

THE

will

be

after

PHILOSOPHY

found

movable

has

and

.Clothes,too, began
for

decoration

the

in

; but

emotion

of

emotions.

"

and

world.

desire of the savage

underneath

Clothes

of

kings

democratic

mere

and

shame,

grove

inventor

most

new

banyan

cashiered

created

IO5

The

years."

types

senates

CLOTHES

as
flourishing

thousand

OF

them

evolved

hundred

other

individuality,
have
laade
distinctions, social polity; clothes_
of us
men
they are
threatening to make
us

gave

clothes-screens

of

clothes

the

all tools

us."
he

and

definition
essential

other

living things

when

tool-usinganimal.
black
and
at

and

the

entitled

more

at

"

calls

digs

bosom

upon

him

the

this

me

from
the

certain

up

of

with

earth

luggage

an

hour,'

it."
and

"Aprons"

on

Miscellaneous-Historical

"

that

continue

pretended gleaningsfrom the book, but in a

The
philosopherlaughs
fragmentary way.
the oddities

Aprons
Eve

"

he

comes

distinct

as

Transport

chapter

The

II.

the

do

'

man

he

miles
five-and-thirty

of

rate

they

the

them

to

says

Man

from

stones

thinks

of

classes

he

For

came

workmen

as

the

in the

various

ages.

equipment
original

of Adam

and

of

costumes

first ;
have

them

smiths,
as

builders, and

defences

and

other

the army

I06

and

coloured, iron-fastened

laughs next
bishop and the
He

looks

the

upon

latter

as

it will

life ;

is

to

be

divided

and

not

of

now

Displayed.
in

the

the

He

sixteenth

have
as

been

much

made

his fine

odd

name

his chair

material

mantle

of

historical

; as,

in the
to

bow

to

in

the

the

mud

maiden

of

bellwould
with
queen

verdigris"; nay,

life that

bombasted

and

Raleigh

the

accidents

for humour

centuries, the

in

dyed

World

times, and

shoes,

had

thinks,

Invisible

Walter

parchment

courtier,who
from

Sir

"

it is these

of

is the

its annals, he

mediaeval

eagerness

stuffed

supplies

newspaper

cornuted

thinks

spread

the

seventeenth

bushel-breeches,

girdles
; he

which

the.^ fountain

Satan's

of
and

all that is

up

gets its material

as

finds much

costumes

to

history of, the-world

into dynasties of journalists

and

book

the

in

and

the

kings ;

world

ruler of the
appear

for

use

and

back^againj_he regards
in

of the

apron

heap,

paper

rnotion

world."

encouragement

an

rubbish

make

to

rag

of

smithy

society

aprori_ofjthecook,

papei^

the

superfluous;

wherein

tucked-in

literature,as

modern

the

the

at

scarlet-

huge

"a

apron,

devil's

this

"in

works"

but

nothing

police are

CLOTHES

OF

PHILOSOPHY

THE

for

have

often

example, that
breeches, rising
king, was caught

THE

by

PHILOSOPHY

nail
projecting

several

pecks

admiration

of

and

is

througha
dressed

hole

and
But

12.

CLOTHES

in

for

armed

the

His

greatest

of

^oHyar's

dress
thrust

simply

I07

emitted
"instantaneously

dry wheat-dust."

kept
cavalry, who

Indian

OF

their heads

blanket

square

and

complete.

this historical part of the

little significance
compared
the

influence

the

chapters

Adamitism.

were

with

of clothes, which
The

World

out

work

is of

the second,
he

enters

of

Clothes

on

in

on

and

Man's

earthly interests,he holds,

all hooked
and
buttoned
are
together and
held up by clothes."
Society is founded upon
cloth."
Then
he suddenly plunges into th^
sublimest
the
part of his philosophy. To
there come
tative,
medispeculativemind
seasons,
"

"

"

sweet

yet

awful

hours"

when

it

waves

integuments of existence, commerce,

polity,society, and leaves the "ego" naked,

aside

face
last
We

the

to

face

again is
are

with
the

thus,

naked

abstract, at the mercy

that doth

of God.

living visible garment

even

grosslyclose

at

of
us

Even
spiritof creation.
think
philosopher must
images that belong to

best

our
"

in

"

the
in

of

close

loftiest

concrete

time

and

vesture

and

and

thisj

; and

universe

most

decay
in the
and

seer

forms,
space

in

he

I08

PHILOSOPHY

THE

cannot

is
earth-spirit

And

It is futile

get

of

to

We

time.

can

ever

take,

must

veil

us,

the

iaehind

that

veil is for

/colour

and

and

shape

\^andculture
in
religion,
time

and

of

substances,"

sleep as
whole

war

world

science, of

phantasmal
minds,
in

as

from
it

As

the

the

most

Presence

changing its

ever

the

idea of

space

"clutch

with

man.

our

thinking.
who

earth

upon

even

for

spiritualof
;

by-"

being,the Omnipresent and

spiritwho has no limitations of

Eternal, the
or

ply

see'st him

thou

absolute

see

space

time,

and

space

religionsgenerallydo,
nothing but under the

as

know

can

the

the garment

assume,

who

we,

modes

to

which

veil

of time

roaring loom

for God

weave

the

weaving

ever

'Tis thus at the

"

that

behind

penetrate

CLOTHES

OF

our

thought and emotion

There
ia,
js^nc)_fijialityGod, tillwe can j"trip._off
thoughts and modes of

is, we

but

are

shadows

as

dreamers

if

they were
moving oft-times uneasily in our
and
revolution
The
agonise us.
at

we

art,

of

know,

Nature,

drama

dreams

to

seem

as

acted
are

when

is

the
much

as

the

on
we

world
a

mere

stage of

lose

of

our

ness
conscious-

feel, and know, and

sleep. All we
think, and imagine, is not merely coloured by
and
our
created
being, but moulded
by it.

THE

This

SO

image,

our

"

with

PHILOSOPHY

Me

but

the

the

reflex

phantasy

of

"

when

CLOTHES

world
solid-seeming

its thousandfold

the

OF

IO9

is but

only reality
; and
production and
of

our

Nature,
tion,
destruc-

inward

own

dream."

our

air-

an

Whgre

"

force,
and

"

but

earthly conditions of our

thought,inseparablefrom it as far as we are
is
concerned, but separableby the Being who
all being. They are
above
the sleep-fences
of
"

are

dream, the unconsciousnesses

our

that our-life is. but. a dream.

knowing

us

that prevent

and

both

dream

who

slumbers

dreamer

not, who

exist not, who

sees

in

sees,

the

are

work

that space

And
of

and

One
time

short, reality.

heightshe falls
of the breeched
into the humour
biped, called
The
horse has a perennialrain-proof,
man,
its frills and
his body," with
court-suit on
has
fringesever in the rightplace; whilst man
13.

back

But

these

from

rare

"

himself

to

thatch

of

sheep, the

of

hides

the

worms,

bark

charnel-house

him

blinded

fit-out.

"

of

of

"

Nature.
the

absolute

use

from

raked

Yet

and

he

felt
rag
the
wont

of

strangeness

his

pretends to
law-giver." Let but

_which
Prejudke,

hate, is his

entrails of

abroad

walks

tatters

fleeces

seals, the

or

oxen

and

to

dead

the
vegetables,

beasts," and

furred

screen,"its shreds
has

of

the

with

"

over

"

PHILOSOPHY

THE

no

of

creation

it

be

to

ceases

when

moment

of

first

man

of

the

the

that

without
venture

clothes.
far

as

But
as

is

unbreeched

good,

who

that

of Adam

is not

Rousseau's

they

should

Teufelsdrockh

would

he

French

believer in the

but she

contradicts

century

Adamitism

Sansculottist,like the
an

of

primalinnocence

still continued, and

Eve

great
that,.he

him

reminds

sixteenth

unutterable

an

thought

Adamites

tailorises

indeed

sees

spiritand
mysteries,"

The

14.

noteworthy

it^ is

"And

us.

yet also

is naked,

mystery

be

to

clothes- thatch

Our

demoralises

and

twice, and

happen

marvellous,

noticeable."

or

world

the

CLOTHES

OF

is

the
lieved
beand
go
not

only

Revolutionists,

people.

the best,"
doctrine

"

maxim

of the

Nature
that

primitive

Clothes, mor^happiness of a natural state.

of the faat
are
symbols, visible emblems
over,
is a spirit. The judge is known
that man
only
by his plush gown, the criminal by_his coarse
threadbare blue ; and by virtue of the fact that
the one
without moving
they are spirits,
can,
towards
the
But
in his
other, hang him.
atrabiliar moods," he is afflicted with seeing,
in his mind's
their courtiers
eye, kings and
how
each
strippedof their finery; and then
skulks into the nearest
hiding-place
; their high
"

"

THE

State

to

OF

tragedy become
at."

weep
but

PHILOSOPHY

as

We

"

farce to
pickle-herring
(inYorick Sterne's words)

are

with, a stick and

the market," terrified

with

he

entalism"

view
he

as

one
by instinct,

all Nature

dried

long in this
humanity, "descendrest

of

calls it.

who

and

the rattle of

by

cannot

low-comedian's

red clout

in it.

peas

15. But

III

turkeysdriven

bladder

CLOTHES

For

he

is

mystic
a
deeper meaning in
It is only to
nature.

sees

human

"

"

of

vulgar logic that the purse is the

soul's seat and true
pinealgland of the body
is "an
omnivorious
social,"or that man
biped
the eye
"

that

breeches."

wears
"

he

reason

is

"

apparition round
in the

since all

was

"

of

spiritand

is

eye

"

garment

of heaven

pure

divine
of flesh

"; he stands

of immensities, in the conflux

centre

eternities."

which

in the loom

contextured
"

soul,

"a

the

To

"

What
created

is there that

by

God

?"

we

cannot

Even

of

love
matter

iii
the manifestation
of spirit."And
spirit,
the chapter headed
Prospectivehe continues!
All visible things are
emblerns
this thought;
its own!
there
is not
what
thou
seest
on
"is

"

-M

there at all ;
taken, is not
strictly
and to represent
exists only spiritually,
"matter^
idea and
body it forth." It is but the
some
"all emblematic
and
things
garment of jdeas.;
account

CLOTHES

OF

PHILOSOPHY

THE

I 1 2

hand-

properlyclothes, thought-woven, or

are

divine

The

woven."

is

Me

clothed

"

with

on

mortahty ;" "language is the garment- of

in
by imaginationoriginally
thought" woven
the timemetaphors. The universe is but
"

of the eternal "; for

vesture

the earth shall fade

all

unity ;

is energy

and

like

away

everythingis

for

there

is

the

"

no

heavens

and

vesture."

force

isolation

decay

; even
;

It is

"all, were

together with
only a withered leaf, works
is in it; "all
all"; nothing is there but God
the
windows
through which
a?
objects are
looks into Infinitude-^ itself."
philosophical
eye
there
is no
But without wonder
philosophy,no
he girds at the
no
religion.And
reverence,
that scoff at mystery.
sciences
new
"Thought
is barren, perhaps poisonous."
without reverence

it

"The

who

man

presidentof

cannot

innumeral)le

carried in his head

the

wonder,"

Royal
their

behind
pairof spectacles
Logic-choppers and

which

observatories

"

"

cackle"^

Science

"

"

about

and

as

Societies

and

of all laboratories

epitome

with

and

he

"were

results, is but
there is

no

eyelj

treble-pipe scoffers I
the Mechanics'
(i
Institute^
illuminated
scepticsinsist en

guiding the world with their lantern in the

broad
day-lightof truth.
TJhey will have
no
mysteries or
mysticism and laugh cijt
"

"

THE

him

PHILOSOPHY

CLOTHES

OF

13

who

"

recognisesthe unfathomable, allof mystery," who

pervading domain
counts
the universe an
oracle and temple as well as
"

kitchen

and

cattle-stall;"
"

him

to

'

'

with

sniffingcharity they protrusively

proffer
their hand-lamp"of attorney logic,
and
shriek
as
one
injuredwhen he kicks his foot through
"

"

it."

Undoubtedly Carlylehad

16.

heart

very

the

new

thrown

and

soul

the

round

the

into

his

idealistic element

of

that

atmosphere

the

taken

Revolution

world.

western

Like

the _rea50,nings
of
Jie__rejected
and

utilitarian

of creation.

as

He

blind
saw

life a

it knew

For
and

Shelley

materialist

nobler

meanings
beneath the trappingsof
capable of reachingwith

spiritthat was
its thought beyond the
leapingthe boundaries
that
were
possibilities
divine.

the

the

had

to

limits of the
of

classed

its wondrous

thought

time.

Within
it

with

and

felt, and
see

it

the

fantasycreated

It could

infinities unrealised.

and

stars

yet

all
left
back

far

along the aisles of time and decipher the

hieroglyphsthat covered this burial orb of
uncounted
myriads dead ; and it could pierce
the vista of the
the dim
twilightwhereinto
future
the

faded, and

worlds

that

tell what

clothe

the

destinies

night

await

with

silver
H

I 1

PHILOSOPHY

THE

And

fire.

yet, poor
and

universe

halo

of his

the shadow

effort of his will,or

any

thinks

He

them.

found

has

much

as

and

the

woof

material

of

tnixed

By

natures.

we

the, music

that

sounds

iby the earthlyelement

to

the

forms
moulds
shadows

animal, and
;

all
of

our

space

of

can

and

our

senses

soul

worlds

can

time.

we

and

bound
in

run

These

our

within

infinitude

only

imaginings must

of

patterns

legacy of

stillare

think

world
dream

of the divine
on

that

that science

our

through
we

only

with,

this strange

worlds

measure

can

but

new

Nor

virtue

clear of

age that he
solid residuum

laws

wrapping

he

to

it is

new

time,

can

phantasmal

but

are

"divest ourselves

!us,

the

as

All the

and

never

human

its

appearances

analyse;

to

remakes

the old warp

and

from

illusion

of

fancy,stand

behind

dream.
-vyithin
a
makes

and

and

seemed

he has

the

an

This

like

its woof

age
substance, the

underneath
is

condition

soul

own

absolute.

Countenance

is space,

its warp

thought ;
by

Divine

product and

the

is

faculty,

off the face of the

the

upon

gaze
veil that hides the

all his

with

man,

the veil from

tear

never

can

CLOTHES

OF

hear
;

but

down

sensuous

into
are

the
the

casts
physicalnature
our
upon
soul, and nothing but disembodiment
set
can
the spirit
wake
it from
free, can
its sleepand
our

THE

unseal

its eyes

of God
17.
Nor

and

core,

dead

hard

ashes
but

the

the

hand

leaving the
"And

what

cloud

its

deathless
is this but

it may

"I

Who
our

discovery
life that

false,rush
of

be

breathes
rash
many

to the

worship

"

is

its

be for

to

seem

element

Even

in

AH

matter

to

say

their

It needs

before

With

is

but

it falls
our

eyes.

that the universe

forms.

power

it and

touch

change, but I

it makes

They are as
has proved so

into

up

fires."

to

is

Shelley's

die. "

cannot

foolish

thought with

modern

undying

"

shall

then

that

fetters.

varietyof
say,

universe

but

matter

substance

wonted

science

life in infinite

survey.

survey

of immoiUalfocce.

of

we

form, waiting for the

their

mask

the face

upon

will find life still,

life in

you

it from

live

we

the rocks

churlish

free

to

the

even

and

and

I 1

all that

dull

mere

Follow

hidden

look

of

forget that

not

CLOTHES

it may

part

we

energy.

OF

not.

are

is

ever

that

die

We

must

that

PHILOSOPHY

enough

to

charge

atheism, when

unveils

every

the

all-pervasive
forever
through creation ?
who, knowing that science
of the beliefs of religion

decision

that

the

destroyed ; they

but

whole
skim

basis
the

Il6

THE

setting
divine

discovery, and

of

surface

that

hedges

that

there

in the

is hfe

Hfe
and

with
cannot

time

outside

of man,

8.

Alas

hear

or

that

There

in whatever
that

Because

ringof

eyes

chained

were

know

this

life and

for human

all,if we

ken.

to

is

our

darkness

what

is

other

every

happiness if

within

we

this
see

facultywithin
all the pales of sensuous
kinship with the infinite

leaps over
knowledge, that has
life underlyingthe dull world,

us

night
deny

they do
hght beyond it, even

of their

facultyof knowledge in
blind, they shut their
facultyin man.

and

belt of

existence

were

is

the

shine
myriad worlds
through
Because
their liquideyes.
our
.aensesL
transcend the limits that their guardians
and space have set for them, they do deny

though

deep-

towards

ever

there

Because

ocean.

the

not

see

flows

that

current

CLOTHES

OF

PHILOSOPHY

is divine.

that

It is the

has

share

fantasy,the

the
reason
mingles with pure
nobler emotions.
By this the poet wings the
furthest space of the ether ; by this the prophet
ilights with
of
heavenly fire the hearts
Venerations ; by this the thinker leaves the
beaten
tracks
of earth and
points the way
far through the undiscovered
world, where
cautious
even
ascend.
reasoning may
soon

faculty

THE

By

this

PHILOSOPHY

feel

we

silver

star,

and

By

this

clay.

throughout
and
its

find

soul

built

are

these
fate

no

being
of

frames
would

be

the

would

ours

back

would

grave.

into

is

It

of

would

religion
live

sink,

for
the

within

reveal
the

to

the

us

animal

gross
and

in

wonder.

of

structures

would

ever

within

us.

noblest

it,

reverence

worship
of

in

faculty

the

Without

no

shrines

the

look

we

"

longings

dwells

that

spirit

and

phase_
it

the

every

seeming-lifeless

of

universe

philosophy.
die

know

we

in

throbs

that

atom

immortal

"

on

ever

life

every

emotional

And

the

the

CLOTHES

OF

our

best

VI.

life has

Every

I.

it is but

the dark

its clamant

link in the chain

animal

CLOTHES.

OF

PHILOSOPHY

THE

OF

APPLICATION

PRACTICAL

THE

For

wrongs.

that stretches

out

of

life into the dim

past of human
future that hides in it infinite

twilightof the
It is the essential of
for man.
possibilities
their
progressivebeings that at every poixit^-in
imperfect ; they have within
history they are
them
the ideal they are
working towards either
consciouslyor unconsciously; and this is a
their defects
standard
see
by which they may
If a nation or
and measure
them.
period falls
and
from
freedom
all incitement
into perfect peace
it has lost the prerogativeof
to struggle,
life,the tendency to development. TJiere is a
divine

the

restlessness in all men

who

have

in theni

Complete satisfaction
with
what
is a
have
done
we
sign of the
if not
of the
approaching palsy of the spirit,
^comingdeath of all the higher functions. That
power

to

progress.

THE

would

PHILOSOPHY

be but

if,on

each

peak

upon

peak

beyond.
progressiveage
its basis

at

not

not

hectic

exhaustion,

fevered

most

vigour, if

And

tower

most

But

mere

lig

mind

poor

unhappy,

most

CLOTHES

progress of the human

heightit reaches, it did

new

that is the

OF

the

futile

peevish despair, that

perhaps

which

there

passion, of

mere

see

is the

in its divine

restlessness

not

not

be

must

health.
the

or

content.
dis-

the
It

is

fever

of

querulousnessor

will

advance.

ensure

With
to

the dissatisfaction

do better.

hope

of

From

must

the

the resolve

come

discontent

rise

must

higherthings.

have
its problems
Every period must
and grievancesthat demand_^sorne solution or
dead.
The
remedy; else it is practically
age of
Elizabeth had its strugglesbetween
patriotism
and foreignthreats,and again between
loyalty
2.

the

to

throne

love

followed

that

century

and

freedom.

of

had

the

The

misfortune

the solution of this latter thrust upon

the form of civil war
have
would
; freedom
have

to

vanish

so

weak

had
as

the

not

people'sdevotion
culminate

to

in this

struggle. And all the ages that

that our
have reaped the harvest
sowed
and

blood.

with
The

such

Queen

to

have

age

it in

had

it been

sanguinary
followed

Puritan

harassment
Anne

to

and

had

its

fathers
forewoe
own

virulent

APPLICATION

PRACTICAL

THE

I20

unhappiness

social discontents

and

things;
slow

broaden

it

the tyranny

and

effete

mankind.

with

the

long

and

its art

the

poor

strugglehad

to

of it

the

last century.

had

to

strike out,

merely

not

from

luxurious

its restlessness

nineteenth

century

struggle,unending
solution
of the unsolved
problems of
We
live in a time
that is agonised
and of the
thought of its imperfections
dolorous
path humanity has still to

gave

travel.

of

into

it

better

to

its progress

for freedom

was

onwards

at

of

kings,but
aristocracy. And

from

political

till the full onrush

the world

for freedom

this time

effort

made

its

last years

the

fell upon

and

it

outwards

And

flimsy.
deepen and

passed

stimulate

tremulous, its productsand

and

but

its

its trivial ideals

but

and

Again

appease,

to
to

OF

So

unending

keen

the

of this discontent,
pangs
in spiteof the triumphs of science, that it

ioften

into

passes
too

without

close

clear

Ibughtbecause
numb

the

cherish

from

the needs

of progress

to

despair.

we

of

and

of

be

must
our

ideals that

books

Our

blind conflicts

knowledge

misery

We

3. Great

are

strugglesapproach
that are fought

the .end

that take

view,

in order to
stirring
fevered
unhappiness.

are

far

too

of our
possibilities
are

in

those

in

such

cognisanceof

removed
natures.

period
its problems
a

THE

and

throw

look

at

PHILOSOPHY

OF

CLOTHES

121

wide

revealinglight upon the

conditions
which
on
be
solved.
they may
And
those
the greatest that bring the
are
wider
experiences of humanity to bear, and

than

the conflict from

the

horizon

mere

loftier

of local

point of view
or
ephemeral

prejudice; whilst those books that stand aloof

and permit none
of the unhappinessand weary
them
dead
strivingof the time to enter
are
almost
before
It is useless
they are born.
inventingremedies for evils that have for ever
vanished,
of

for evils that lie outside

or

He
possibility.

present
home

most

his
his

men's

to

time

own

/harass the

and

moving

humanity.

In

heart

throb

as

well

as

mind

the

with
to

see

more

them

connect

line

in

ages

than

difficultiestroubling

the

whole

to

who

hearts

choose

must

own

the range
would
strike

of

with those

march

short

of

he

bitterest
beneath

that

onward-

must

have

woes

around,

the surface of

phenomena.
that

4. It is thus

though
new

written

words

forms, bristles with

and

took
gradually
of the

in

root

nineteenth

the fervours

and

period,whilst

Carlyle'sSartor
a
stylethat, in

in the

more

century.

Resartus,
addition

to

difficulties,

thoughtful
spirits
It is all quick with

desires of the earlier half of the

it connects

them

with

the broader

OF

APPLICATION

PRACTICAL

THE

122

in all ages.
questions that trouble all mankind
There
is no spiritual
timidityin it. The most
difficult problems of the time are
attempted.
The
sphinx riddles of humanity are faced, and

that with

is

yet there
the

strong

and

deep

cheerful

fundamental

of them

treatment

humour.

all.

the

superficial
appearance
spiritof worship for the
mysteriesof being.

And
in

reverence

With

laughterat

life there

of
true

is

shrines

and

philosophyof clothes itself is difficult

it attempts
where
to follow in its serious phases,
the questions of existence
that
to
restate
so
manifest.
their answers
be
Nay, it is
may
life as
its bearingon our
hard to see
sometimes
5. The

it is.

What

more

it

than

seem

mere

?
ignorance of reality
all systems
of philosophy
But what
more
are
and
but
broader
scientific generalisations
new
figuresof speech ? The advantage is that they
soul for a time ;
please and satisfythe human
and
they preserve its reverence
allayits fears.
And
what the philosophyof clothes did for the

metaphor

to

conceal

does

earlier part of the

restate
r-ments

had

"

the
had

warmer

our

nineteenth

problem of being
become
blood

trite and
in its

the old abstract systems,

century

was

after the old

state-

unconsoling.

veins, too, than any

and

was

more

to

It
of

capable

THE

PHILOSOPHY

OF

CLOTHES

of

being appliedto the concrete

problem takes in the life of the

6.

It is in the

third

book

forms

that

modern
that

23

the

world.
find the

we

(/practical
applicationof the theory. Its first
the transition from
the semichapter makes
humorous

view

of the

clothes

philosophy to
the more
serious problems to which it applies,
and
it makes
the transition by means
of an
incident that seems
to the superficial
view of no
effect. It is the
significance,
nay, of absurd
foundation
of the sect
of Quakers by George
Fox

in

the

of the

weary
order

to

much

nobler

world

hell is

sfisventeenth century.
sordid

keep body
"

Time

task
and

work

of

soul

waited

deep ;" and

all that

grew
shoes in

making
together,when

to

flies fast,and

Fox

be

done

heaven

kept

in

so

the

is high and

him

fear of starvation
great task of life was
minimum
he not reduce his wants
to
a

from
;

the
could

and

let

Will all the shoe wages

supplythem ?
into that far land
under the sun
ferryme across
of light?
I will to the woods
of a
; the hollow
for clothes, cannot
I
will lodge me
tree
; and
stitch myself one
perennialsuit of leather?"
that one
of the incident was
jThe significance
"

nature

/man

at

least had

found

[principles
; he refused
longer as

mere

"

his

way

back

to

first

recognisehimself any
patent digester,"whose
to

energy had
fuel ; he was

and

moment

every

APPLICATION

PRACTICAL

THE

124

OF

to

be devoted

to

a
too, and
spirit
supplyingit with
his spiritual
interests infinitely
transcended
his
physical; he dwelt in the temple of immensity,

wherein

as

had

he

man

been

sent

to

minister,

"full of

He
holy mystery to him."
burst through the mere
tions
trappingsand convenof life,
its
straps, tatters, and tagrags,"
and moved
free in the lightof heaven, ready to
of sin, unhampered
strugglewith the monsters
by the gross necessities of social life. Nothing
be found to compare
to it but the rejection
can
of existence
of all the amenities
by Diogenes

and

it

was

"

times

in ancient

adamantine
all that

like

Fox

he

stood
"

basis of his manhood

the

"

on

and

counted

struggledfor mere
superfluities,
of humanity.
enslavingand debasingthe essence
But the Quaker's leather was
holier,nobler,more
like a symbol of Godhead
than the cynic'stub ;

'

men

for he did

not

the

earth

in half savage

the

liberation

in

scorn,

but

snarl

of
in

at

man

mankind

or

pride ;"
from

"

undervalue

he

preached

his trammels

love ;" he

insisted

"

on

not

the

dignity of

in

despite^of^rth, but
jvith- his eye ^upon- heaven
; he saw
societywas
be cured
of its sores
to
not
by levelling
upwards
and
wealth
to
luxury,but by levelling
downwards
to the most
primitivesimple way of
man,

not

THE

life and

the

to

Just one
close

OF

CLOTHES

elevation

of the

of

classes

would

25

thus

human

soul.

fear creeps into Carlyle's

mind at the
the chapter; it is that not
the most

will
perfectsocialistic scheme
of its foolish worship of clothes
and

by devotingall the surplusenergy

free

set

PHILOSOPHY

be

in

even

fashions

prideand vanity to

and

leather

and

rid

ever

'

society

conventions
there

vestures

diversities for envy

find scope

in

and

and

social

no

however

annihilate

seemingly equal, will ever

of desire and handicraft,
inequalities

of mental

power

system,

7. The

church

will.

rejectionof

and

Quaker

and

all ceremonies

conventions
leads

sect

clothes

by

him

to

and

the founder
the

ments
vest-

of the

discussion

of

but

by this he does not mean

"shovel-hats and surplices
and cassock -aprons"
and
and organor
church-repairing
chaffering
the forms
which
the religious
ing ;" he means
has taken in different ages and races.
principle
The clergy
of his neighbourhoodadvised George
;

"

Fox

as

the

solution

beer_and_dance^ith
from

these

"

blind

of
the

his doubts
and
girls,"

leaders of the

"

to

drink fv

he turned

blind

"

to

his

Carlyleconsiders
"antique inspiredvolume."
all communing of soul with soul while both look
kindles
heavenward
true
as
religion
; emotion
emotion
by the feeling
; belief gains infinitely

126

THE

that

Others

"sion and

believe

inmost

and

for

the

for^churches
churches

"

"go

"

"

are

have

thinks

accumulation, drive

gains pas-

into

contact

church
divine

the

with

is

old

once

idea

age,"

or

priorto dissolution ;" most

sorrowfullyout at elbows"

hollow

only spiders and

no

of

dumb

gone

mere

life

brought

vesture

in delirium

mumble

and

He

OF

divine

is

me

me."

ever

the

inmost

"

with

"

APPLICATION

PRACTICAL

and

unclean

"

masks

wherein

beetles, in horrid

their trade ;"

of them

out

and in unnoticed
"religionhas quite withdrawn
is weaving for herself new
nooks
vestures."
"As
a
priest or interpreterof the holy is
and
the noblest
is a
so
highest of all men,
sham-priestthe falsest and basest." Religion,

therefore,he

counts

the

"

as

eternal

breast,"

"

tissue of

society;" without

inmost

in

the

human

pericardialand

nervous

it government
all social life would
be

and

dead
industry and
a
carcase
deservingto be buried." It is ihe forms
that religiontakes
(creeds,churches, tenets)
that must
change to suit the livingand growing
organism of humanity. The evil is that each
"

church

dying
alone
as

age

arrogates

to

itself the more,

when

it is

dead, the loftyprerogative of being

or

the

of
interpreter

follows age,

develops and

grows

and

the
as

divine
the

nobler, church

idea.
human
must

But
soul

give

THE

to

way

PHILOSOPHY

church,

sham-priestbe
8.

In

CLOTHES

"the

and

from

torn

for the wounds

OF

^2']

canonicals

him

to

make

of

the

bandages

of mankind."

order

still
generalisehis principles
further,he devotes a chapterto symbols,which
facu^
of fantasy.
_are_thejwo]Jc_QLj:iie_^odlike_
They half reveal, half conceal, some
deeper
meaning than they bear on their surface. They
and emphasise truths that would
communicate
the

escape

to

minds

of

But

men.

the

most

importantelement in them he considers to be

silence,which by its presence
givesstrengthto
the expressionimpliedin the symbol,and brings
it into relief.

"silence

For

is the

element

in

great thingsfashion themselves

together."
ing
They who eyer babble of what they are creatand projecting are
ruiningthe chances of
fulfilled;
ever
seeingtheir creation or projection
they spend the whole of their available capital
The
more
on
callingfor plans and tenders.
which

"

"

crackle

thought.

"

for

one

less heat, the

the

day

thou

Do
;

on

thy

purposes

but

not

the greatest

how

morrow

duties."

and

are

hold

thyselfbut

the

"

"it

talk the

more

is

"

less

thy tongue

much

clearer

Speech is great,
too

often the

art

and suspending thought so that there

stifling
Thought will not work
is none
to conceal."
"Let
not
thy right hand
except in silence."
of

"

128

what

know

thy left

as

invisible with

and

universe

man

they do,

an

the

noiseless.

and

itwill die.

latter
But

Thus

of God
of

element

and

the visible.

symbols

are

eternal element
unseen

or

sun

of secrecy
infinite with
the

the

blends

symbols that

finite,the

the

from

must

element, the element

It is the silent
in

Virtue

doeth."

hand

hidden

its roots

have

OF

APPLICATION

PRACTICAL

THE

the

ing,
contain-

decay and an
is the spiritual,

it

must

not

be

thought from this view of creation and humanity

mechanism, as
as
symbols that they are a mere
utilitarians hold.

and

materialists

The

human

weighbridge for measuring

motives, and
balancing pains and pleasures
;
filled
is the universe
"one
nor
huge manger
be weighed against
with hay and thistles,to
mind

is not

other."

each

mere

The

"

nigh choked

soul of

century is wellthis nightmare of mechanism."

by

our

mensurative
logical,
faculty,
but our
It
imaginativeone, that is king overus.
and maddens
is this that inspires
; through this
"from
the circumambient
the sheen
eternity"
little islet of time ;
our
nor
gleams in upon

It is

9.

not

our

"

"

at

we

are

whether
or

not.

the mercy
of fate ; it is ours
to choose
fantasyshall guide us wiselyand nobly
It is this that

of the

bag

or

unseen,

pieceof

iron

makes

this that
into

symbols the
turns

symbol

dows
win-

worthless

that

stirs

THE

mature

makes
idea
the

suffer

to

CLOTHES

OF

itself,once

cross

better

no

noblest

ensign

that

man

the divine

"

that

makes
of

instrument

mere

than

29

death, this that

and

wounds

militarybanners gleam with

of duty,of heroic daring,"
this

torture
""

PHILOSOPHY

the

gallows, the

ever

met

and

braced
em-

under."
And

10.

value.

extrinsic
well

intrinsic

works

all these

yet

of

rendered

There

art,

the

But

what

"lives

symbols
that have

value.

and

instance, the

for

visible."

"

others

are

meaning

but

are

"

"

of
as

Through
godlike is

other

work

is

so

of heroic,

God-inspired
it is here
And
that Carlyle'shero!
men
worship affiliates with his philosophyof clothes ;
of heroes are a vesture
the_deeds-an.d.,cbaTacters

divine

as

"

that half veils,half reveals

the divine.

Most

of

are
prophets ; religions
and
the most
symbols of the god-like,
significant
the life and teachingsof
Jesus of
Christianity,
Nazareth," form .a symbol of quite perennial

all is this the

case

with,

"

will ever
significance
inquiredinto and anew

infinite character, whose

demand

to

anew

manifest."

made

symbols

For

11.

and
Homer's
have

be

lose

Epos

faded

into

"wax

old

as

doth

ment,"
gar-

of expression;
power
Eddas
the Scandinavian

their
and
dim

and
twilight,

it needs

OF

APPLICATION

PRACTICAL

THE

130

But the poet,

reinterpretthem.
hierarch
and
true
pontiffof the world, is
symbols, and bringing new
shaping new

the Student
the
ever

And

heaven.

fire from

tell when

who

can

had

better

noblest

to

and

he, too, is
has

of all is he

wisest

man

old and
grown
lest it suffocate.
But

symbol

removed

be

wise

who

makes

his

element
of
symbol rest on the everlasting
thou
Of this thing be certain,wouldst
being.
then plant into the deep infinite
plant for eternity,
faculties of man,
his fantasy,and
heart ;
wouldst thou plantfor year and day, then plant
and
into his shallow
faculties,his
superficial
self-love,and arithmetical understanding."
new

"

And

12.

of

mass

French

preached, it
question of the
labour, if it is
few

years.

his

thoughts

on

that

the

upon

moved

Revolution

in

of

ing
seethferment

1792

1830, Carlyle felt that whatever

is

Hofrath

round

humanity

the

between
that of

he looked

as

to

His
on

must

rich

have

have
and

its
poor,

currency

and

gospel

chapter on the
of capitaland
for

than

more

chapter called Helotage gives

the question. He
his
makes

Heuschrecke

his

Malthusian, and

write

tute
deadly fear of populationa tract, Instifor Repression of Population;" whilst he
"

Teufelsdrockh

makes
to

all the

an

doctrines

self
antagonist like himof Malthus, and
to

THE

all those

of

attempted
that

PHILOSOPHY

the

show

in

production

do

his

Malthus

book

of food

man

so

it

were

in

opposition to

in

one

increased

not

for war,

the

whilst

there

and

for

make

is all the

war,
over

up

"

luxuries,and

One

earth, will

But

he

forgets

potent,
sick, im-

and

naturally

the nine others,

of wars,

waste

and

him

children, the

than

more

and

amusements

account

and

famine, and

this maxim

drunken
self-alienated,

far

medicine,

in

statement,

if you
lend
nine others."

women

and
indolent

it the

year,

feed himself
that

had

population,

on

plague. Carlyleis indignantat

puts

131

only
progression,whilst the people of
increased
at
geometrical rate, or

world

would

CLOTHES

politicaleconomy.

to

arithmetical
the

OF

the

strikes,

support

of

law, religion,government
to
and above ; and, as soon
food
as

becomes

cheaper,populationincreases at a rate
accelerated as to render the cheapening more
so
than ineffectual. He
cynicallyironical,
grows
that government
and, followingSwift, proposes
of
should
shoot
down
annually the superfluity
and
paupers,
feed those in

able-bodied
to

carcases

bitter
market

over

than

horse.

colonisation

of

His
the

barrel

their

workhouses, and he

being worth

man
a

salt and

less in the labour

solution
waste

is

is

spaces

tion,
emigraof

the

"earth,and in this chapterhe gives the gistof all

afterwards

he

and

Past

OF

APPLICATION

PRACTICAL

THE

132

in

preached

his

Charhsm

Colonisation

Present.

was

and

the great

But
of the eariier part of the century.
panacea
of the earth
that most
of the available areas
now
the
Englishmen, and even
fever-laden parts of Africa are
being wrangled
over
by the other peoplesof Europe, we are as
far from the solution of the labour-problemas

have

ever

filled by

been

our

very

the home
at

country

is

with

by

socialism

The
any

of

in his

mistaken

real trouble

it ;

sneer

is stillungrappled
the

even

panacea,

with

over-populatedthan
it begins to dawn
on

more

period before ; and

world that Carlylewas

Malthus.

convulsed

are

any

the
at

colonies

fashionable

Carlyle failed to see that

it was
the able-bodied, vigorous,sensible,and
wholesome-minded
that emigrationdrained
off,
and
that they could
look after themselves
in
thinlyor thickly
any part of the world however
populated. It is the evil-minded, indolent, unP
,

day.

our

conscientious, those
\h"

/ and

employed by
drunken

so

none,

wish

futile and
and

those
be

unskilled
so

as

to

bohemian

employed by none,
( that form the real difficulty.
It is well known
that they marry
and multiplyand
replenishthe
earth at twice
the rate
of thrifty,
provident,
skilful
workmen.
have
the
They
same
luxurious
desires
and
spendthrifthabits as
as

to

to

THE

the

rich

PHILOSOPHY

idlers

OF

CLOTHES

33

of

society and it is these

desires and
habits that keep them
in
very
misery and subordination and would keep them
in misery and
subordination
if they had
the
whole

wealth

them.

That

of

the

world

shiftlessness

divided
and

amongst
disease, crime

and

idleness and irresponsibility,

folly,
are
mitted
perin
unchecked
to
multiply themselves
marriage and huge families,is the root of the
whole evil,and would
of
keep the world a mass
the most
scheme
of
misery, were
generous
socialists in full working order
all over
it.
of our
Another
that Carlyle
century
panacea
hints at in this chapteris maimed, and will be
maimed
evil
that of education.
by the same
The poor is heavy laden and
But
weary."
is that the lamp of his
what I do mourn
over
"

"

"

soul should

go

out."

"

That

there

should

one

ledge,
ignorantwho had capacity for knowtive
the cumulathis I call a tragedy." But
in enlightening
and
effect of education
developingthe soul, as it passes from parent to
pered
child, from generation to generation,is hamsterilised by the more
and almost
rapid
man

die

growth of futile,diseased, or vicious elements in

the population.
to the questionof labour and
returns
13. He
wealth
again towards the close of the book, in

APPLICATION

PRACTICAL

THE

134

The
chapter headed
the fashionable
Dandy was

the

the

took

quisites,
ex-

during

their

model

George
laughter of

the

the
this

of them
as
mere
chapter there is deep scorn
live to dress," and
clothes-wearingmen" who
in this world of work.
at their futility
indignation
make
them out a religious
He
to
sect
proposes
Almack's
their temple, fashionable
with
as
sacred
novels
their
books, and Englishas
French
their particular
as
subject; he finds
Bulwer
their teacher
Lytton with his Pelham
and
preacher,and he formulates their articles
"

"

as

Body."

afterwards

under

And

Fourth.

century

our

Regent,

Prince

for

name

man-milliners," who

"

the first quarter of

the

Dandiacal

"

the

OF

of faith,the

central

one

of

which

is

"

There

He
classifies
safety in the swallow-tail."
the vagabond and
half-employed poor as an
called Poor
sect
Slaves, who have
antagonistic
of rags and a god in the earth which
costume
a
them with potatoes, who like the Druids
supplies
is

burn

men,

not

He

in

wicker

idols, but

in

sod

bitter over
the
ironically
of Dandiacal
Self- Worship and
two
principles
Poor-Slavish or Drudgical Earth-worship. For
they are
threateningto divide England ; the
dandyism, appropriates all the positive
one,
of the nation, viz.,the
of it ;
electricity
money

cottages.

grows

THE

PHILOSOPHY

OF

CLOTHES

the Other,

drudgism, is equallybusy with

negative,that is hunger ; wait a littleuntil

the

"

entire nation

is in

electrical

an

35

the
and

state

....

the

of a child's fingerbrings the two

stirring
the earth is out-shivered
together; and then
into
doom'simpalpable smoke
by that
"

thunder."
tion
Carlylemanifestlybelieves that a revoluis in store
for Englishsociety.Evenj-wlder
humorous
and
satirical chapters entitled
and
Clothes
Tailors, this thought lies.

14.

the

Old

In them

he protests that clothes

world

now

is

should

worshipping,and

therefore
the

of

instead

take

is all that the

that

the

the loftiest placein

lowest

it is he

All

tailor

society

the

creates

should

man

of modern

times.

all

but, alas, they worship only their

men,

clothes
taken

and

by

yet

their

respect

contents

Better

in them.

the

men

go

paid

these

to

feed the devil

to
at

reverence

once

into

is

vanity

Monmouth

suits
worship the second-hand
there ; they have no
haughty looks, or scornful
purged from the grossness
gestures ; they are
and
foul vices
from the carking cares
of sense,
Better
at
once
give the tailor
of the world."

Street

and

"

his

true

part of

place in civilization,not as the

but as
something of
a
man,
"

"

or

divinity

he

new-creates

the

man

fractional
a

creator

into

136

THE

APPLICATION

PRACTICAL

OF

Too
societyitself.
long hast thou sat there on thy crossed legs,
fraction
to horn ;" "the
wearing thy ankle-joints

nobleman, he makes

"

even

integeronly,but a square
the world will recognisethat the
and cube ;"
its
tailor is its hierophantand hierarch, or even
will become

not

an

"

god."
^

15.

This

his satirical way

of saying
life of society has vanished
and

is but

that the whole

left the

trappingsand

mere

chapter headed

"

In the

ornaments.

Phoenix," he puts it in the

The

moralisingspirit."Call ye that
of his
a
societywhere each isolated,regardless
neighbour,turned againsthis neighbour,clutches
most

serious

what

he

peace,

scramble

can

get and

because

in

cries
the

steel knives

'

Mine,' and

cut-purse,

calls it

cut-throat

but

only a far cunninger

be used, where your priest
has no tongue
sort can
but for plate-licking,
and your high guides and
cannot
guide." He is wild against
governors
the doctrine of laissez-faire,
of lettingthings
take their course
the poor are
perishinglike
;
foundered
neglected,
draught cattle,of hunger
and over-work
is fallen speechless
; the Church
from obesityand apoplexy; the state
shrunken
into a police-office
straitened to get its pay."
He is enraged at liberals and
and
economists
no

"

utilitarians for

"disseveringand

destroying

THE

existinginstitutions

most

he

OF

PHILOSOPHY

would

social

the

desired

has

attempted

the century
is that

alas, the

left the world

than

yet

solve

all

change
it
legislation;

this latter half of

the result

And

miserable

more

it has

37

very

in

about

all the evils of life.

it has

himself

in and

enter

come

society." And

regulate in

to

bewildered

more

state

questions. But,

that he
has

have

of

CLOTHES

Carlyle

been.

ever

and

had

reallyno faith in the state panacea,

blind
and in his latter days he had to resort
to
But in his
in hero
trust
worship as the cure.
within sight.
heart he felt the remedy was
not
wishes,

He

it is

societyas
the

be

past,

as

new

cremated

funeral

evils

chapter to

see

"Let

down

old

broad

hoof, tillthe

her
that

new

is

"

us.

The

ruinous

and

better

not

in the
is

Phoenix

pyre." Already the French

something. But when will
out

come

bird ?

"

It is clear

done

birth

of

ashes

the

Perhaps,after

"two

of

the

centuries

less
or
more
conflagration,
be accomplished."
fire-creation may

convulsions

vivid, the

the

down,

fabled, but before

has

this

The. golden age

built."

revolution

of

tread

temples with

fanningher

of

close

itself up in revolution.

turn

is trodden

whole
may

the

Utilitaria

monster

palacesand

the

at

at

of

and

least that, without

the

world

may

great revolution,
never

be

cured

138

is the belief

such

APPLICATION

PRACTICAL

THE

lies

that

OF

the bottom

at

of his

philosophy.
J

And

6.

It is

century

the wild

volcanic

passion that
the sodden
still

are

shock

of

of

out
new

the

hearts.

to

the power

of states

conscious

of

fires
at

ing

to

momentary,

stirs

monstrous

though

not

that

for the

trivial
grow

life.

The

inner

glow, bursting forth

gleams that
us

We

the

throughout

of human

It is

t'he

dying
hearing

and

them.

first

is

seem

weak

movement

and

the

of

weary

with

cope

The

during

so

final

ever.

reformers

grow

cured,

to

scorch

into lurid

that

we

convulsive

institutions.

breath

be

framework

begin

times

And

we

poverty

ineffectual,

of

proposed, so

panaceas

/ the whole

neath
under-

And

and
as

in

found

are

filled the breast

our

world

individuals,of

of wealth

believed

were

century

evils that have

life.

unsolved

unsettled, as
that

that

hope

France

unguessed

the relations of classes and

remedies
half

shook

the
awaiting, half breathlessly,

stillas

are

startled with

of social

crust

and governments,

nations

revolution.

told of the molten

slumber

may

of

that

paroxysm

its foundations, and

and

burning lava

lies stillthe

us

bursting fires
since Europe was

the

and

desert

of

before

threaten

the
is

time

mere

all existtornado's

and
superficial
appalling. It

THE

PHILOSOPHY

is the firm
sicken
fears

earth

with

convulsion

an

when

wounded
;

into

Time

the

our

deep

how

or

far the

to

back

go

to

to

retrace

march

must

resemlale

may

and

changed
All

changed.

the

be the

never

has

that

restlessness

from

no

learn

is

of

retreat

to

The

past in

rough

outline

the

minds

changes

The

man.

before

How

us.

in

veins

our

to

we

are

and

have

men

misery
differ

problems
central

their

It is

same.

brute

that
subdue

that

of

is the

not

is

from

that

is the

man

as

he

core

ever
our

riddle

the

the past that

breaks

forth

ever

sanguinary and vicious fury i*

meets
everlastingquestion which
the woe-worn
climbs
path of his

into

anon

face of the

The

same.

relations

our

it be

though
terrors.

age

and

natures

footsteps.

with

although at
and in difficulty
they are the
the
of
stilL-ihe-elimirLation
age

the

upon

his

even

darkness, crowded

'EutTTcan
world

masses

There

cannot
we

the

future

and

of

nature

solution

easy

theni.

Forward

rages

we

foot,
lay trodden undersilent and
submissive, worshipping the
down
and
strength that kept them

very

and

how

39

shaking,and

immeasurable
not

seems

the times

past

the

is

goes.

It

17.

CLOTHES

itself that

know

; we

OF

development.

"

For

as

he

tries

to

drive

out

the

THE

140

foul

and

bestial

OF

APPLICATION

PRACTICAL

from

his

the

nature,

subtle

his

pretended ally against

into his heart again with
himself, and
creeps
redoubled
lence
and viostrength. Thus
tyranny
and
have been
the means
war
whereby
and
reform
subjugationof the fiercer passions

element

in the

world
this

even

of

becomes

have

mystic

measures

and

yet

seer

he

would

liberator, would
and

physicianthe
18.

will

conflict.
very
of the

we

in

in

us

as

friend

as

make

think

to

cease

violence

drive

never

For

it
we

enemy

tyrant

would

faculties,

beast

or

force, howsoever

will but

It

man.

the

He

slave, would

physic

ever

the hero, will

advocate

nobler

the

And

"

our

foul disease."

Mere

wrong?

the

shall

When

the

engage

of

protector

the

these.

as

us,

bring

be

to

came

within

god

hitherto.

effected

undivine

so

free the

set

been

and

belongs
would

spiritualpowers

to

the

spiritforth

camp

The

of
the

of

the

essence

is freedom

man

in

perpetuate

subdue.
of

cure

wrong
embodied

the evil

inflame

lence
that vio-

the

air

It fills the heart

they live in is freedom.
with
despair to hear those who would ennoble
and
man
develop the divine within him, cry
out

for weapons
For

of violence

it tells how

to

effect their purpose.

darkly

the

shadow

of

THE

the

beast

how

PHILOSOPHY

within

strongly

the very

yet

us

it yet

thinkers

Nor

19.

OF

in

shall

CLOTHES

falls upon

nature,

our

the

dominates

minds

of

midst.

our

the

I4I

world

be

the

nearer

any

goal of happiness by re-division of the spoilsor

for more
by any scheme
equitableapportionment.
For

it is

spiritfrom
and

desire.

makes
and

the

is

what

not

spiritnoble
Give
its

as

the

human

possession,and

that

each

Endow

equal property
will

there

be

passion

what

it is

whole

of

it will still

its due

claims.

to-day

race

equal rights,and
a

that

it will still yearn,

of the human
and

the

acquires
soul

worlds

it is bereft
member

it

of

free, but

or

unsatisfied, for other

complain
with

It

does.

world
more

the

relieve

goods that
passionate demands
not

demand

for

morrow
to-

another

readjustment. For the

ruled entirelyby
bulk
of the human
race
are
doth
desire
ever
by that it
desire, and
grow
had
it all the pleasuresin the
feeds on ; even
of pleasure in its
world and all the possibilities
is no
there
sating it. First plane down
maw,
distribution, another

all the faculties and

desires
and

powers

of all men,

smooth,
one
appetitesto
and
socialisms
might your
for
of taking root
have chance

and

then

all their

"

level
munisms
coma

year

or

PRACTICAL

THE

142

tillthe

two,

Bewailers

fail

world
'

plague

next

OF

fashionable

or

vice

level.

destroys the
20.

APPLICATION

to

the

over

far

get

misery
enough

that floods
back

the
first

to

that it is useless
not
principles. They see
its mouth, if there is a
at
purifyingthe stream
They would
spring of pollutionat its source.
of happiness and leave
the unessentials
reform
of

the heart

by

dominated

full of bitterness

man

animal

the

and

his

nature

in him.

They would
institutions
all external
leave
to rights and
set
the souls that have
to
guide or be guided by
tainted
and
them
impure. They would clothe
all

"

men

in

their bodies
disease.
bridle

scarlet
beneath

They

and
a

must

it, if the

food

fine linen

''

and

leave

of
putrefying mass
begin with desire
of

the

world

is

to

foul
and
be

enough for all mouths.

They must
prevent
the coQtagiQrL^of
vice and
crime
and
dence
improvispreadingdown through the generations,
if they would
stop the misery that is their
result.
teach
think
first
They must
to
men
ofd.utLes,"and then rightswill look after fhenrselves.
They must
preach the gospel of the
of duty towards
all mankind,
and
supremacy
soon

to

the

need

rights will

of schemes
vanish.

for
Let

settingthe
each

man

world
do

his

THE

action

every

will

with
"

The

kingdom

drink

or

the

Seek

first

righteousness,

sense

more

of

within

moulding

that

duty,

enough,

than

reach.

our

of

all

our

these

in
the

minimum

and
In

destiny

the

within

the

our

so

seem

of

light

them

minimum

own

and

God

of

we

compared

things

will

within

is

What

of

kingdom

valueless

so

heaven

thought

true

They

you."

unto

and

and

noblenesses

nothing

as

43

the

of

advance

conditions.
is

the

other
of

our

and

the

all

possess

good
ye

added

in

not

CLOTHES

to

eye

and

and

or

an

whole

follow.

ourselves

OF

with

world__as_

eat

PHILOSOPHY

hands

happiness!

us.

and

his

shall

be

tial
unessen-

the

new

will
is

lies

be

ever

the

VII.

FINAL

THE

RESULT

OF

OF

CLOTHES.

PHILOSOPHY

Every

I.

that

aims
aim

within

his

winds

of

they

heart

of

common

dare

life breathe

over

recede

"

rainbow's

faith

loses

never

support

of

his

elevates

his

mind

which
the
it

we

he
puny

the

live.

acts

of which
back

the storm,

it.

above

and

years

"

It is the

the

sordid

It throws

stay and

into the

earth

whence

the

most

and
shadowy, illusive,

came.

halo

animal

Though
secret

It

world

life consists.

the

we

Even

desperate hopes.

most

to

sink

it.

lovely form

amid

in

has

should

with

let the

not

like the

Evanishing

he

petty

daily acts, a single

point. He cherishes it

hearts, and

his grasp,

elude

the thousand

his

ever

it should

though
ever

rule

to

seem

which

to

has, within

man

THE

in

round

Without
or

it

into
seems

element

THE

of

PHILOSOPHY

it is the

natures,

our

the
spiritual,

most

consoler

of

highest of
sublimest
within

this mortal
if

heaven

of

peak

And

2.

minds

our

the

is

It

capable, the

are

that

we

reach

can

look into the soul of

we

and

life.

philosopher,we

or

adviser

hours.

45

it is the

For

constant

loneliest

which

real.

most

most

our

CLOTHES

OF

dominated

in

of human

mystery

shall

his

find

prophet

that

he

is

too

minutest

speculationsor
forecastingsby some
thought that is above
aim
that
refuses
expression.
thought, some
in his ordinary
He
stands
above
men
common
far as
the loftiest peak of a
meditations, as
the plain. Around
his
above
mountain
range
of time, the clouds
head
gather the snows
the

He

moods,
the

years

darkness

unborn.
beneath

rest

stands

apart

closest

converse

that
of the
He

have

seems

men

on

to

drift

him, and

over

his

in

with

commonest

the

with

vanished

past, the

years

have

the

far
that

and

trees

and

years,

into

the

stilllinger

world

him, crouching togetherlike

its meadows

with
its

in

or

nightlycommune

of infinite space

stars

him.

settle

lyingfar
a
village

all the ways

dimly displayed. And yet

to whisper in
him and seem

of

the heavens
his

their

ear

secrets.
everlasting
K

146

THE

he,

But

3.

far

him,

over

heights that

tower

He

sees

meditations, majestic

the shrine

them

to

them

upon

being, the altar of

ever-burning fire shows

whose

of

the

on

longs

He

heavens.

these

men.

soul

his

as

purpose

as

common

rarest

flicker

dim

in

only

in

draw

universe,

the

of

stand

to

seems

dailythoughts

moods

the

OF

RESULT

rises in his inmost

too,

these

far above
above

FINAL

far

reach

to

of

spaces

it that

he

the
may

and

give firm basis to all his

and
other speculations
foreseeings. It is this,
the unexpressed, the unattainable, that colours
all his lesser thoughts or
gives them
wing to
its

know

cleave

secret

the heavens.

It is the

his
inspiration
; for, with
base
think
he
thoughts
fall into the dark

words

but

he

him

To

of life?

loses

never

He

thinks

and

all

through

meaning,

its truth.
its inner

sense,

can

let his

deeds

and

sordid

problem,

his life he

may

if he may

But

and
a

it,how

atmosphere
dim

riddle

hope of reaching its answer.

one
thing needful for man

it the

darkness, if he
its

it is

upon

eye
or

of all his

source

but

some

but express

human
are

catch

words
too

gross

too

in

out

gropes

one

significance.In youth and earlylife

passionateeffort to grasp it and utter

the

glimpse of
phase of

often
for

its
he
it

evade

higher
makes
to

the

THE

world.
it

But,

as

his

PHILOSOPHY

I47

pass, he is satisfied with

years

pressible
inexwithin his nature, an
potency
ideal drawing him out of the limits of

self.

common

The

4.

as

CLOTHES

OF

philosophyof clothes, as

far

as

we

have

gone,

of

have
philosopher. Carlylecould never
satisfied with the stormy gleam of irony

our

been
which

it had
have

not

but

thrown

rested

temple.

In he

reverent,

if

of

and

the

and

not

the

that had
or

He

the
had

the

final aim

life for him

the

outer

he could
of

courts

press,

of
of

progress

with

rites and

humanity

was

well

ceremonies
human

upon

but

there

of

existence

of classes

puzzledhim,
meaning
not

the

passionateyet
awed, footstep. The doctrine
the highestthat he meant
not
to
must

deeper importance in the

into a philosophy.
elaborated

something
had

in

husk

outer

round

over

influence

the

nature

he

not

symbols was

reach

fumbles

and

or

the

in human

placeof

influence

of

started this book, Sartor

was

simile
It

was

society
the hero,

characters.

Resartus,

other
satirists and
merely to glean where
had reaped.
philosophers
Book
of the Third
5. It is in the chapters
Natural\
and
entitled
Organic Filaments
his
full]
Supernaturalism that he reveals
book.
Towards
a/
in writing the
purpose

148

THE

FINAL

had

_new^ gospel he
he had
to utter.
firm beneath

OF

RESULT

fought his
had

He

and

way;

all that

felt how

gave way, and belief came

he tells in his
impossible. This

seem

thence

rest

new

of

feeble

his

the

to

to

graphy
bio-

he

felt

graduallyable to find
life and
sphere of common
was

temple with firm foundations.

book
he spends in girding at
falsities that took

deliberate

or

last

At

Teufelsdrockh.

bottom, and
up

was

him

of

his way
build a

this

The
the

in his age

the

bitter against the

placeof faith. He was
misleadinglightsthat had led him away from
the truth into misery and
gloom. And
laugh
tructive
wildly at Voltaire as he might for his desto
mission, he had
accomplish the
same

before

assail the
had

would
been

taken

not

root

in

amidst

purpose

leave

without
left,

footing

could

totteringruins

earnest

more

he

the

build
or

the strong

them.
than

deep

as

nucleus
waters

had

had

of

wit ; he

he himself
of

to

lies that
he

But

the French

his readers
some

he

up,

had

faith,some
doubt

and

unbelief.
in these two
chapters that he reaches
It_is
the positive side of his philosophy and
its
central truths.
The
most
important of these is
the community of all mea.-a.nd races
and
ages.
is no
There
such thing as waiting^r-a new
6.

THE

revelation

PHILOSOPHY

OF

CLOTHES

49

waiting till the old disappear

before the substitute comes.
^Within the fibres
of -that-wh-tG-h-vaaiahes
are
growing^the organic
or

era,

filaments that

to

are

coming organism.
the waving of
the
of

tones

but

in

melodious
of

tones

There-- is

be, that
"

the life of_thfi

are

the

Amid

rushing

whirlwind-element

and

come

death- song, which end not

melodious
birth- song."
more

-such

thing as absolute death,

all living energy.
complete separation from
We
divide
historyinto periods and ages, but
there is no fixingof a point of division between
them.
of
another
one
as
They grow out
and
branch
from
bough. \
bough from stem
This year'sautumn
and
to
\
winter, which seem
be the final disappearance of its leafage and
flowers and fruits,hold within them
alreadythe
of next
year'sflourishingand bloom.
germs
break in the continuityof developThere
is no
ment
or

history.

7. And
the

are

very

no-

so

that unite

bonds

hatred

and

rankly in
sympathy," a
so

victim

mankind.

it is with

society

proof

such

And

lies

the

no

an

all."

and

"but

are

of

and

action.

one

and

envy

persecutor ;
wiselyarticulated,would
no

us

"Wondrous

that

an

grow
inverted

living unity

automaton,

rouse

The

no

such

deed, however

never

of
so

feelings,
trivial.

but

changes

No

man,

It is

RESULT

OF

the forces of the human

but
insignificant,

however
be

would
"

FINAL

THE

150

loss

to

the

his isolation

of the

system

the

fact that

mathematical

universe.

world.

castingof

of
pebble from my hand alters the centre
And
as
indissolubly
gravityof the universe."
suffer or
together; we
] are the ages bound

this

the

benefit from

acts

that have

of those

in

been

I their

for thousands

graves

made

that

Tubalcain

the

of

years

"it

was

tailor's needle."

very

thought that we utter at this moment

reaped from the fields of all the past ; nor
The

it

ever

the

from

pass

influences

was

shall

that

are

and
Round
us,
moulding the future.
and
natures
souls, flit the
through our
very
vanished
ghosts of the myriads that have
in the most
earth ; even
from
ignorant of us,
of whom
have
we
the thoughts of the sages
ever

heard

never

of

as

us,

all that

There

wide

to

been

has

as

and

and

out

of

us

world

world."

itself and

as

the

All

and
things wax
is completed
;;;KNothing
and birth are
/^B";^eath
completing."

the

and

"

gathers

flows

all-reachingand
literal communion
living,

the

In each

act.

is

that
is

word

of the universe,

nerve-centres

influence
"

us

move

eternal.
of saints,

historyof
roll

matin

beWs

that

summon

mankind

some

but

wards."
on-

ever

the vesper
to

sleep

THE

and
"

rise refreshed

to

If

Nature

is
more

reflects

creates

and

Nature

CLOTHES

I5I

advancement."

new

living,indivisible
mankind, the image that

is

without

Nature,

which

I
\

not."

were

It

for
and

one

whole, much

8.

OF

PHILOSOPHY

is thus

he

reaches

for

basis

true

all

world
is ever
The
morality,all -action.
growing ; there is no receding,no decay ; ever
towards
the final perfectionit marches.
And
and
and
word
act
thought of every
every
tells in the generalaccount,
member
of the race
flows in the
futile to

in the whole,

thought
those of

moulds
our

quantity in
the
most

There

have

we

and

our

d/o, whatever

form

we

most

an

littleness
element

feelingand

secret

character, which

our

moulds

appreciable
of development of the
the energy
our
duty ; the best,
isji^o_evading
fellows,and theirs is an

noblest, is what
routine

It is

movement.

or the
insignificance

plead our

of the influence

race.

of onward

stream

work.

should

we

Whatever

false word

we

do

even

evil

speak,

in

thing

our
we

whatever

the
think, has its effect on
thought we
of
the progress
general sum
; it is retarding
humanity, helping to throA i further into the dim
all our
twilightof the future the consummation
of
the extrusion
natures
devoutly yearn alter,
frorJi
the world.
Here,
obstruction
evil and

foul

FINAL

THE

152

RESULT

OF

surely,is sufficient basis for the noblest of

the gospel of duty,of work, sufficient
gospels,
for all kinds

stimulus
end

one

spirit
;

the

And

action

every

is

what

the earth

noble, what

lightof

this.

its force

and

to

it is easy

see

he

astray

principlethat
"

of

work

of the

improves

element

tells

upon

duty by

the

is divine

in

thy
thy might."

hand

apply his practical

of politics
social life,
he is
or
by his prejudices
; his other
hero worship
true
enough
"

misleads

path and

what

our

in the abstract, but difficult to

its

that

to

comes

led

an

race,

mandate

do, do it with all

details

once

the

our

is

"Whatsoever

origin,

to
principle
at

to

this

There

divine

the

Hence

when

But

the

soul with

towards

is mean,

mars

and

of every

instinct of

an

what

mankind,

Q.

the

furthers.

or

is but

groaneth
perfectionof the

progress

mars

in us,

instinct

findeth

is

It

There

creation

the closer communion

All.

the

the whole

"

travaileth."

and

us

which

to

of heroism.

world

him.

must

work
He

pass

out,
sees

away

crosses

that
from

tlie
war

develop towards peace ; titles (duke, earK

hitherto
been
derived
fromi
marshal) have
that
give way to honours
fighting; they must

and

come

But

him

the

from

there

is

cling

to

one
"

services
that
that

of

and

victories of peace.
false etymology makes

king

he

thinks

he

THE

PHILOSOPHY

OF

CLOTHES

53

eternityin it,becauses he fancies it to

the "canning," "cunning," or
mean
originally
"knowing" one, and he is led by it even
traces

far

so

the

as

to

English

annihilated:
Had
of

he

the

accept
Civil

War

king

"a

"

known

absurd

little

and

once

rules

by

more

of the

sentative
son

"

kin

descendant

or

of

"the

blood

the

ever

right."
of the history
that the king

tribe, the

or

for

divine

language,he would have seen

originally"the cyning,"or

was

that

doctrine

repre--

truly

most

which

was

flow in the veins of all the members

supposed to
of the tribe.

largereservations.
jays,
Many who sit on thrones are but king-popinof purple; and
stuffed mantles
not
mere
where the hereditary
is this the case
infrequently
principleis the sole arbiter of royalty. He
Of

10.

he

course

makes

"

who

is to

be

higher than

my

will is

ruler, whose
chosen

will, was

for

be

to

by
Heaven."
So said the followers and parasites
"of the goose
king, James I.,the king of lies,
H.
Charles
I.,and the Hbertine king,Charles
But
Cromwell, the king according to Carlyle's
heart, gave

own

his

my

Which

Ironsides.

author

answers,

Cromwell."

them

But

"He

lie, and

the
side

unhappilyso

so

right?

was

who

me

succeeded
did

Charles

did
Our
"

H.

THE

154

would

How

succeed.

towards
monarch

that
Would

RESULT

FINAL

he have

poor,

he

OF

comported

self
him-

licentious, bohemian

accepted him and

?
this
Practically

have

moralityas divine
this truism :
to
gospel of hero-worship comes
him
is worthy of reverence,
who
Reverence
has the strength
accept as your king him who
muscle
in
of character and
to be a king ;" and
if we
wish
the last resort,
to
get beyond a
truism, the old fallacy, Might is right." He
who
succeeds
has
be
to
proved his case
Now,
according to the will of Heaven."
the bulk
of Carlyle'swritings,
unfortunately,
and especially
of this book, go to show
how
far
from
right the world is, how trulyit is ruled
and
by hypocrisiesand shams, how churches
his

court

"

"

"

governments

and

mockeries.

We

dilemma

institutions
have

thus

are

come

all but hollow

to

in his first principles

; success

of the hero

complete
is the test

and

king ; it is,therefore, the test of

all justiceand
morality; but unhappily what
has succeeded
in establishing
itself in the places
of vantage
of the world
is far from
right or
He
proceeds,in fact,in this
great or heroic.
with a sneer
all the
very chapter,to demolish
efforts of his own
day to adapt the British
Government
the
to
new
intelligenceand
demands

of

the

unenfranchised

middle

and

THE

lower

PHILOSOPHY

classes.

CLOTHES

OF

55

versal,
uni-

Satisfyyourselves by
indubitable experiment,as ye are
"

now

doing or will do, whether freedom, heaven-born

and leadingheavenward, and so vitally
essential
for us all,cannot
peradventure be mechanically
hatched
and
brought to light in that same
ballot-box of
The

II.

yours."

strengthof

its emotional

irreverence

is

independence

elements.

He

working.

He

passes

and how
rebellion,

sneering
Hence

gospel lies rather

his

is the

into

it is that he insists

withered

heartless

court

how

sees

aimless

trulythe
plague of

primary duty of man, as

diseases.
our
spiritual
godlike,there are we

the

sees

the

world.
as

reverence

only remedy
even

the

for all

find

we

worship ;

of Louis

and

and
scoffing

Wherever
to

easily

modern

on

havoc

defiance

taint of
our

in

the
the

the Fourteenth

scepticmocker,
worshipped at the feet of the
Pressed
Voltaire.
and
millinerycourt-poet
and to indicate
again to descend to particulars,
"

"

how

men

whom
as

are

to

find

this

divine

journalism
containing

listen to, he indicates

they are

to

the

church, literature

new

element, and

as

and
Goethe
an
and liturgy,
as
religion
instance of the authentic prophet. Unfortunately
a
problem by a more
again,this only answers
difficultproblem. Journalismis as nondescript
the

new

156

THE

contradictoryin

and

RESULT

FINAL

its

OF

gospel

city thoroughfare; literature is

often
as
jungle; and Goethe
pitiless

of

wisdom
facing-both-ways

does

of

hubbub

the

as

the

almost

the

utters

world

he

as

of Heaven.

the wisdom

Carlyleis at his best and safest as a seer

into
he
and
retreats
gospeller when
poetic
the truth
generalities.He is undoubtedly near
when, at the close of the chapter,he bids those
stand
in no
who
temple,and join in no psalmworship, to "be of comfort";
"they are not
if they have
alone
faith
worthy,
; if they are
communion
of saints,
of the unseen
they are
whose
heroic
sufferingsrise up melodiously
togetherto Heaven, out of all lands, and out of
12.

"

"

all times,

truth when
is

ever

he

sacred

Miserere."

insists

underneath
"Is

it.

as

that the divine

our

God's

is

He

eyes,

universe

if only

as

near

revelation

we

could

see

symbol of the
Godlike
immensity a temple ; is not
; is not
man's
historyand men's
history a perpetual
for organ-music thou
Listen, and
evangel ?
wilt ever,
of old, hear the morning stars
as
sing
together."
13.

But

not

it is in his
"

Supernaturalism that
approach to a gospel.

chapter called
he
There

makes
he

"Natural

the
comes

closest
to

the

THE

porch

PHILOSOPHY

of the

of Holies

Holy
symbols and

and

nature

true

essence

of

of

and

tries

being.

miracles

that
A

nature.

CLOTHES

57

of life ; he gets behind

vestures,

herself,and

theory of
heart

OF

and

time

to

space,

what

see

is the

propounds

He

to

seems

get

to

miracle, he holds,

new

the very
is

not

a,

violation of the laws of Nfitiirf;,

of
a yinlatinn
\)\\t.

knowledge

our

intrusion

of

into parts
a

new

to

of Nature

of it

to

the

child

or
us

savage
but the

vision.

is

;jiot

It is but

knowledge

that

wonder

commonest

past
process

have, in the primitive

would

attitude

fathomed

Alas

at

all the

gone

than
infinity

the

our

secrets

common

assumes

looks

if

as

of the universe
decide

say whether

and

but

century

times, and

if it could

! the whole

is that it has

of

science

knowing, as
conception of faith
not.

before

of

worth

or

human
our

the

not

smooth-working
a further
glimpse

noticed

not

of

state

that which

omniscient

it had

into the

had

we

The
an

Nature;

seemed
the sign and
Christianity,
new
prophet,such as the productionof
or
making iron float,is in the
summer,
tellige
of the most
now
ordinarymechanical in-

ages
seal of a

power

of

the universe, but

is to
explanation,

ice in

laws

a new
creajdan,^ut

relative
which

the

accident

an

machinery of

of

on

every

it is possible

basis of this arrogance

few inches deeper into
mind.

We

count

or

158

and

ken

the
"

the

of

make

will pass, and

sciences
Our

thirstycow

will vanish.

shallower, of the few facts

concerningour
and

of creation, is

forces

of the

minnow
'

Under

14.

which

our

such
we
so

true

We

should
sciences

we

are

able
of the

to

notice

universe,

of Nature, all the

like the

act

within

eyes,

all

transcend
and

scientific

such
and
of
is

have

such

are

but

own

and
in

nerves

why
virtue
new

secret

such

and

the

trace

them

tissues, but

nerves

of

call

of life and

ways

in them:
ways

We

but have
living,
by callingthem

day

our

facts

by
capacitiesto

of them.

cause

their

nearer
name

our

character

our

and functions

acts

thought mad,
derangement
true
problem

statements

ever-livingmiracles,

source

and such

got any

very

are

but
familiarity,

find the

ocean

deeper sometimes

lost their wonderful

have

day

pool.

there

frames,

but

are

laws

to

fine

some

the minnow's

littlecorner

own

call this all the

to

sometimes

re-statements,

if a minnow

as

pool,and, classify-

Revealed"

Ocean

the

or

disturbances, call the

and

its movements

our

in mensuration,

It is

of his

survey

into

Heavens,"

of the World."

result "The

and

nightlyswim

call this littlesum

we

System

should

that

stars

Mechanism

"

ing

few

measure

OF

RESULT

FINAL

THE

and
Our

to

the

tissues
boasted

lookingat

and

THE

naming

PHILOSOPHY

old facts.

OF

The

CLOTHES

blind

names

to

us

59

the

mysteries behind, just as custom

blinds
the insoluble problems that move
us
to
in our
very frame and constitution,thick as motes
in a
true

sunbeam.

Get

of the hardest

as

far back

thoughtand
the

occurrence

15.

human

the

down

whilst

are

Only

in fable
or

them

the

space

have

rather

we

and

imagined

ever

wishing-cap of
to

wished,

This

its boundaries

time,
tions.
limita-

our

the absence

its possessor
however
distant.
with

thoughts are

our

transported
that space

est
common-

explain,the

to

imprisonedby space
quite unconscious of

their absence,
"

dint

strangest of all mysteriesin the

and

we

in the

real mystery

by

advanced

most

even

is the fact that

system

bound

can,

record.

to

But

we

the

science,there still remains

real miracle

as

of

one

of

Fortunatus

localityhe
simply means

any

is

an

accident

of

and
do
humanity, that other beings may
probablyexist,without any such imprisonment
of thought; they may, in thought,be anywhere
it is TKIi's we
at any momenT;
speak of God as
Bmntpresent. So might we have a wishing-cap
that transportedus
to
any point of time, past
indeed
the grander;
"This
future.
were
or
our

shooting at
world,

to

will from

the

its fire-consummation

fire-creation
;

here

of the

historically

l6o

THE

FINAL

RESULT

OF

first century,

conversingface to
face with Paul and Seneca
; there prophetically
in the thirty-first,
conversing also face to face
with

the

in

present

hope, the

and

that

show

the human

even

elements

its

sensuous

to

live

of

its existence.

in

anywhere

such

of

adumbrations

and

were
spirit,

Our
can
our

anywhen
This

at

is the

moment

any

divine

quality
by those

hear

thought, time and space.

must
see
only a limited space, our ears
sounds
only in a limited time. And

soul

has

eyes

them

as

6.

become
that

long as

And

accustomed

so

it takes

of itself

functions

It

can

it is united

here

them

to

thinker

our

the white

of

tomb

illusion."
No,
spectral
here, even
mysteriously
with

God."

perishedor

of whateyer
will be, is

was,
even

"

as

and
now

are

Only the
perishable;
"

are

whatever
and

believe that
is but

the lost friend

we

the

upon

cannot
ones

itself of

body.

comes

loved

our

and

parts
rid

the

these

to

as

never

thought of immortality.He

have

be able

of pure

sense-fetters

forms, would

and

or

they
it stript
of

power

it,only it is hampered and obscured

sense-forms

"

yet stand

as

depth of that late time." Memory

faint guaranare
mystic faculties,
tees

in the

hidden

Senecas, who

and

Pauls

other

here

pale

is still

ously,
mysteri-

time-shadows
the real

being

is,and whatever

forever."

It is the

THE

hardest

PHILOSOPHY

thingfor
and

us,

OF

cooped

l6l

CLOTHES

as

up

their moulds

we

in

are

our

of

thought,limited
time and limited
space, to realise that the living
Spiritof the universe is everywhere and everywhen, and that the disembodfed soul is anywhere
and
anywhen it pleasesto be. Only in rare
own

senses

moments

can

clingsto

our

into

reason

live God

Only

rend

we

all

ifi rare

spirituntrammelled

moments

forms

can

of space
hoodwink
us

with

they malce

unconscious

part of

\us is

unconsciWs
and

and

us

the

that
Even

senses.

Johnson,With all
between
Cody and
to

see

or

rear

or

time.

our

that

the

and

few

yeareandfthedust

shadows

will flee away,

make

us

body

like Dr.

conscious

are

express

If

space.

up out of this dream

that itis ourselves that
shadow

real

most

but

fullydeveloped,expect
disembodied
even
spirit,

onlywe

veritable

are

gatheredround
shall

and

could

/
ghosts,
them

to

dust, the

shall

again be

return
we

selves
them-

should

of life,
we

waken

with but dist and

the/
that/

of discrimination

powers

soul

souls

own

commonly
spirit,
we
are
anything
vigorous thinkers
the

sense,

it is these

Nay,

regard to

feel

throuorh time

by

transcend

we

though it is clear that the senses

only of beingsand elements that

see

veil that

sensuous

thoughts,and look with pure

real world
beyond it,wherein

the

and

the

62

THE

FINAL

like the divine

"The

RESULT

nothing but pure spirit.

is recalled;his earthly
vesture

essence,

Heaven-sent

falls away, and soon

vanished
shadow."
that

senses

"

becomes

sense

of

shadows

It is these

look

this fair universe

cityof God,"

to

even

our

the~Deity from us; if

beyond them we should see

obscure

so

could

only we

OF

deed

in very

and

the

star-doiji

through every star, through

and most
through every Hying
every grassblade,
soul, the gloryof a present God still beaming."
"

Nature, which

reveals

Him

Him

sense-shadows

our

what

cannot

Sense

knows

we

go

of is

sure

from

"

God

let

faith knows

are,

all ve

that itis throughmystery

"

whither

or

"

not

us,

by them.

we

come

we

But

haunt

to

the

if only

Him.

see

us

from

we

they cease
imprisoned are

whence

not

even

in Him

when

so

see,

and
would

will be

we

Him

the wise, hides

to

God, and

of

is the time-vesture

foolish." With

we

"

tJ

may

be

mystery,

God."

to

figureot speech almost as old as

life to the
history,this comparison of human
of a bird at nightout of darknesi, through
flight
hall gleaming with lights,
into darkness again.
a
Scarcelydo we stay long enough in the light
17. It is

to

know

Almost

whence
before

startled wonder,

it comes,
we

have

the veil

and

how

it shines.

opened olt eyes in

of gloom falls over

THE

them

PHILOSOPHY

OF

CLOTHES

again. Injhe lapseot

three-score

our

and

years

eternities what
but

ten

the

can

our

eyes, dazed

of life,pierce

sun

and
the

"

that encircles the world?

is

flash of

athwart the midnight? And

Hghttiing
is all the deeper for the "excess
How

63

the

gloom
of bright."
almost blinded by
palpableobscure
"

How

our

can

sensuous

in the
pov^ers feel at ease
outside of their range ?

it is to

mystic infinitiesthat lie

Simpler,undoubtedly,
limitless
mysteries of our

the

deny

refuse
to
atmosp^iere,
of them,

known

to

know

ignorethe

to

what

is to- be

faculties that take

But the highertask is to

cognisanceof them.
let fantasytake in the largerlife that fills the
infinitude

senses

our

well

As

know.

never

by nightinto
darts out on the other side deny
a festal hkll and
in the encircling
Existence
its own
gloom, as
judging by his senses, ignore the shadows
man,
might thpwinged thing that

of which he

out

and

deny

18.

and

comes

the life that

What

our

eyes

darts

he vanishes,

whither

peoplesthem.
and

ears

tell

has

us

kinshipwith the divine.

Our sensuciusimpressionsreveal only sensuous
find if they
things^ Spiritthey would never
lived and soughtthrough a whole eternity.For
has

nothing in, it

that

has
spirit

limits

senses

can

no

know

of space or
only within such

time, and
limits.

the

What

164

THE

call

we

is but

matter

forms

sensuous

this rock, the

it back

trace

fine sand

force.

even

crush

or

batter

built

by

in

human

down

Choose

years

the

or

reveal the essential energy

windows
under

above
the

infinitudes

yet

God

us
"

that which
its energy.

and

spread over,

but will
lifeless,
it.

in

It is

body

only

whose

thoughtsmust move
accept all things_as^
number

of

moments-

flywith fantasyfar through

the stars
of night. Space

fetters and

our

we

pulsing of
over

must

are

time-

or

after space
and

we

definite

jou

ages, and to a space that has lirnits.

rise
brief period of exaltation we
may

years

For

to

to

within

our

senses,

forms,

sensuous

belonging
or

the

are

is but

over

dull and

there is nothing,
however

as

"

reveal

to

enough

because, imprisoned

will find

you

that may
strongest walls ever

throw
life

our

ages

forth molten

again,and

it

Dead

"

senses

longerthan

then

laidiin

was

ashes, elements

its

our

fuse

hands.

which

takes

Or

it

poured

or

of the earth

will see,

shadow

in which

the ages

the waters,

it alive with

the

under

at

even
body gives it. Take
symbol of all that is dead, ajnd

the furnaces

by

looked

energy

our

to

by

OF

RESULT

FINAL

of

leave behind, system

we

see

the

no

limit,feel conscious

minutes

stretches

the

still blooms

after system,

"

of the
star-dome

above

universe.
of the

of

no

Still

cityof

the violet flower of

THE

PHILOSOPHY

night,strewn
at

last the

if Tve

feel

with

OF

CLOTHES

great worlds

appallingsolitude
the presence

not

belts with

as

pollen. And

crushes

of One

65

souls,

our

whose

heart

the

pulsingof every orb and system

thioughoutinfinity.It is all like a tale told
by an idiot,full of sound and fury,"if there be
"

consciousness

no;

object of

and

with cbuntless

behind

these

What

it.

countless

life,if there

is the

worlds

be

aim

crowded

spiritwhose
and expression it is ? Death, life,
thougllt
pain,
thus the pendulum swings for ever
and
pleasuie,
for ever
no
one
through boundless
space, with
to

heed

its motion

enough!to

or

madden

no

its fate.
the

It is monotony

strongest

thought
"

bloom
and
everlastingoscillation between
a
corruption,lightand darkness, with never
its final aim.
Out
soul to guide it or heed
flickers yon long-gleamingworld, and its myriad
in long upward agony,
types of life, evolved
into!the abyss of nothingness. Flames
sink
other orb
into life with wild conflagration
yon
to
tBrough a million ages of cooling,of
pass
through weary
appearanci of life,of evolution
this

stages, anfl
darkness

then

to

follow

ajid annihilation.

throu|[h
infinityafter
and

unheeaed.

The

its brethren
And

into

this shall proceed

purposeless
infinity,
thought weighs us down

66

THE

with

its

FINAL

RESULT

What

terror.

OF

is the

the

ambitioningand agonism, we,

if this is

moment,

is

doomed,

of

wisest

He

who

only bed
All

19.

the

is

rest

it

higher

goodness

in

And

veil,would

and

their

fantasyto

the

animal

part

beyond

the finer

know

it.

and

only by

ten

thousandfold

ihe

seeks

of

the

matter

the aid
can

in

revolt

is

see

it.

is

agaiist
nay
soul of

observingly
spiritbehind this
men

but

men

senses

There

"

there

sensuous

is

faculties

thingsevil,would

distil it out."

I which

life and

stronglyour

confirm

or

Id

wo

that

his brief

thought,however

report

this

the grave.

"

our

o"a

creatures

which

to

fiei:e

our

jewel the vailt

assuredly the happiest aid

shortens
of

all

all the orbs

with

night?

be

to

of

good

their

use

How

can

the

reason

senses,

cognisanceof that
? They cannot
even
senses
that floats through space,
of instruments
tha: magnify
they be brought to believe
that live beyond their ken.
us,

take

beings and atoms

and
the
Nay, only by the alliance of reasoi
the\
products of fantasy have
a--epted the
existence
of energies that move
"k and
,11 "l *
have their being in spheres too
too
ir
Ui.
mivast

for their powers.

carnal
and

It

facts of the world

it needs

ages

of

is but

they

th'* gross

and

will Ijelieve in

thought and

reasoning,of

PHILOSOPHY

THE

the meditation

of

OF

wise

and

men,

CLOTHES

the

67

invention

and

of power,
to lead them
one
struggleof men
breadth
of their false perceptions
out
firger's
ard superstitions.And
will trust
them
yet we
aid all they report rather
than our
and
reason
oi.r
fantasy,and quell and silence the divine
element
within us, and
deny the Great Spirit
that lives and breathes throughout the universe.
the shadows
Remove
their influence, and
they

souls,the time shadows

throw

upon

space

shadows, and

our

raised, and

Nature

it revelled.

No

godlessfathomless
before
We

feel

we

kniw

that

the

the veil of

once

the

soul behind
everlasting
longer do we stand alone in a
infinitude,or fall paralysed

aimlessness

me

at

and

all

and

solitude of existence.

things

have

nobler

end

than
To

We

know
not
where,
go we
and
rot."
obstruction
to

die and

"to

lie in cold

that all

that the agony

knoM

is but

thepassagefrom

the lower

Even

ourlittle life has

its sublime

out

merely
thjennobling of our

of it

element

not

:omes

tlat goes

feel withir

us

corruptionbut

seek

and

purpose,

some

progress

race,

but

wards
to-

divine

into the grave.

We
the soul that will not
suffer

not

move

beings endurel
to the higher.

down

the

home

it

came

from.

68

These

poor

vanish

into

But

PHILOSOPHY

THE

agonised
the

CLOTHES

OF

dust

and

tissues

of

out

which

they greiv,

they
spirits,

our

"

not

are

But

finelytouched

fine issues."

to

Why should they scale the Heavens

only to sink
daring or their reverence,
the earth, only to accept the hideous
an
unpurposed infinity,
only to "lie in
and
forms

"

rot

to

that

Throw

ofifthe

thoughts, raise

clog our
transpicuous veils

of

there

into the shrine

see

wjill

nerves

we

shall look

the world

God, and

undying

Printed

our

to

be

bodies

and

space

but
to

the
be

and

Tombs

back

into

dream

pf

struc
ob-

cold

sensuojis
ths

ha.f-

time,
of

the

but

Limited^

th^ir

"

arid

be'ng and

livinggarment

souls.

by Wkitcombe

in

pnsons

of
of