His last literary productions were a series of papers on "The Early
Kings of Norway," and an Essay on "The Portraits of John Knox," which
appeared, in instalments, in _Fraser's Magazine_, in the first four
months of 1875. On the 4th December of that year, Carlyle attained
his eightieth year, and this anniversary was signalised by some of the
more distinguished of his friends and admirers by striking a medal,
the head being executed by Mr. Boehm, whose noble statue of Carlyle,
exhibited in the Royal Academy in the previous year, had won so much
merited praise from Mr. Ruskin and others. The medal was accompanied
by an address, signed by the subscribers. Carlyle seems to have been
much gratified with this honour, which took him quite by surprise, and
he expressed his acknowledgments as follows:--
"This of the medal and formal address of friends was an altogether
unexpected event, to be received as a conspicuous and peculiar honour,
without example hitherto anywhere in my life.... To you ... I address
my thankful acknowledgments, which surely are deep and sincere, and
will beg you to convey the same to all the kind friends so beautifully
concerned in it.
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