Thomas Carlyle and His "Latter-Day Pamphlets" (review) [pp. 330-340]

Thomas Carlyle and his " Later-Day Pamphlets."
Thomas Carlyle and his I Latter-Day
Pamphlets."*
Of course the "edited by Thomas Carlyle"
which appears on the back of these pamphlets
means nothing. We are surprised to see Carlyle
make use of such a stale device; but luckily there
is one thing about ihis author which is unmistakable and that is his style. No writer in England, other than Carlyle, could mould those sentences. They are unique. They even go a
bowshot beyond all his former vagaries. We
question if "Sartor Resartus" itself could display
anything so extravagant as is seen here-whether
even Teufelsdrockhever spoke orwrote such jargon. In the " Latter Day Pamphlets" all those
strange, wild -phrso and rbaric compounds
which have come to be ealled Carlyle-uism, stand
prominently forth-ever seem to be obtruded on
the reader as if to say, Pause! wonder if it pleasme
you-but read, for you will find it worth your
while!" Indeed Carlyle, we have imagined in
entering upon these political disquisitions felt
the necessity of numerous readers to produce the
effect he desired and aimed at more than usual
originality. He will certainly have readers But
we would suggest to him that such a Babel-confusion of tongues, was not necessary. The doctrines, conveyed in any words, would startle and
astound.
Most truly are they astonishing! We knew
before that Thomas Carlyle was the great " new
light" philosopher come to reform the world, and
were perfectly familiar with the remarkable doctrines and views of life given to the public in
Sartor Resartus and its successors. We had
gone through his numerous histories, lectures,
pamphlets, reviews, often profound, always striking, and had enjoyed in all, from "Past and
Present" to the "French Revolution," the remarkable strength and copiousness of the author's imagination-but there was somethiugstill
wanting in his political theory. It was not quite
plain. He was neither a Whig nor a Tory, a
Conservative-nor a Radical. The "Latter Day
Pamphlets" have cleared up all doubt on this
point. Thomas Carlyle is now the head reformer
of the age, with a perfectly distinct political theory of his own, and is soon, we predict, to found
a school of politics in England which shall reecho his wild decti'nes. It ought to be called
Carlyleism, for no other word will ex press it principles so well.
In "Siator'Resartus"-"Past and Present,""Chartism" and all his numerous review articles,
Carlyle has put forward his favorite doctrine.
The age, he says, is hollow, wornout,."sick, rm
ligion is a cant and a formula, theb whole -mah
ry of government throu.ghout the globe a farce
and a blunder. Men in high places are actors,
kings are " sham-kings play-acting as at Dt.uyLane," bishops talk of "prevenient grace," wFry
paupers are dying, the Pope and his religion isa
wretched old kettle ruined from top to bottom." Everything political, social and religio,
in a word is " out-of-joiit," The orators, he
says, speak "from the teeth outward"-they are
"Hesperus Fiddlestrings" "holding few virt
in their paltry skins save those essential for- digesting victuals; envious, cowardly, vain; without heroism in word, thought, or action"a- sort
of talking machine unfit for action, knowing not
earnestne. The age is hollow! This is the
great, loud-resounding keynote of his political
writinugs. There is no heroism.
This word heroism, with Carlyle's admirers is
like the Shibboleth of the Illuminati-it unlocks
all. It is the general term for all the doings of
strong and energetic men in all ages, however
much their.actions may outrage justice and.right.
Let a man like Cromwell, Napoleon, Mira,
beau* or Francis, make his appearance when a
land is torn with convulsions, take the head of
affairs by main force or intrigue and bend all
hearts and arms with the weight of his iron despotism; and Thomas Carlyle is by his siderte
clap him on the shoulder and say God speed
Here he says to the world is a ma, not "a patb
ent digester," a "walking clothes-horse," but as
true-hearted, carne8t man, and hence to be re:
speeted and upheld. In every age and nation the
strong-soul'd men are his " heroes" and he keels
before them with a true 1"hero-worship." Every
where this feeling stands prominently out in
his writings. Mirabean, who lived amid civil
convulsions as in his natural atmosphere, and
who died like a vain and imbecile asctor, asking
foropium and " crowns of flowers," that hebmight
appear to overcome death and pain —thiss"n4
his character, Carlyle dwells Ilkp with delight
and depicts with the gusto of profound admirtion. He may have been a debauchee, and aspassionate wilful desperado, but he was abrave,great
soul, a maw who never trifled. an.GARYman!
So in his notice of the death of Edward IFFiYq.
Whoever may have read those remarkable sewr
mons called "Orat/0nztk er e lesofGod," and
'AnArgumenxt on the Jndgment to Com," wbicWh
created such ar sredio, in I-on somp thirty
years ago, will at once recall the chaacter of Irring. HQ was a zealoi~ bold~ and energed
* LATT?R DAY PAMPIHLETS. Edidby Tow. Carlyle.
I. The Prescnt T'- R. Model pitrs. III. DowningStreet. New York: Harper and Brothers. 1850.
* "Eqiual, wer will Ysa, to Napoleon." Carlyle's is:
vole 4....,.... i..
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