"To all Austrian Kaisers and such like, in their time of trouble,
let us answer, as our fathers from of old have answered:--Not by such
means is help here for you. Such means, allied to picking of pockets
and viler forms of scoundrelism, are not permitted in this country for
your behoof. The right hon. Secretary does himself detest such, and
even is afraid to employ them. He dare not: it would be dangerous
for him! All British men that might chance to come in view of such
a transaction, would incline to spurn it, and trample on it, and
indignantly ask him what he meant by it?
"I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
"THOMAS CARLYLE.[A]
"Chelsea, June 18."
[Footnote A: From _The Times_, Wednesday, June 19, 1844.]
The autumn of this year was saddened for Carlyle by the loss of
the dear friend whose biography he afterwards wrote. On the 18th of
September, 1844--after a short career of melancholy promise, only half
fulfilled--John Sterling died, in his thirty-ninth year.
The next work that appeared from Carlyle's pen--a special service
to history, and to the memory of one of England's greatest men--was
"Oliver Cromwell's Letters and Speeches, with Elucidations and a
Connecting Narrative," two volumes, published in 1845.
Pages:
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69