XII.

Carlyle has suffered much from having his humorous exaggerations taken, as one might say, underfoot of the letter. If the parties of progress have been misled by this kind of interpretation, still more have those been mistaken who have inferred from his anti-democratic utterances a disposition to court the aristocracy. When, in the latter years of his life, some of high rank, who had forgotten, or had never read, what he used to write about "paper-nobility," began to make much of Carlyle, his tone occasionally showed that he remembered another story of his favorite Phocion, how when the Athenian Assembly applauded, he turned to his friends and asked "what bad thing he had let slip." When the Emperor of Germany sent him the Order for Civil Merit (founded by Frederick the Great), he did not refuse it, though he did not care for, and, I believe, never acknowledged it; but, as the world knows, he would not accept the patronage at home, which might imply an admission that honest thought is to be paid in royal decorations. He had not worked for such wage, and would not receive it. When, about the time in which the German honor to the biographer of Frederick came, Queen Victoria sought an interview with him, he met her at the residence of the Dean of Westminster, and her Majesty became aware that

she was in the presence of a man beyond all fictions of etiquette when he said, "Your Majesty sees that I am an old man, and, if you will allow me to be seated, I may perhaps be better able to converse." The Queen bowed assent, but she had never before conversed with one of her subjects on such terms of equality. This interview took place March 4, 1869. There were present the Duchess-Dowager of Athole (in waiting on the Queen); the Princess Louise, "decidedly a very pretty young lady, and clever too;" Sir Charles and Lady Lyell; Mr. and Mrs. Grote; and Robert Browning; besides the Dean and Lady Augusta Stanley. Carlyle entertained the Queen with a graphic account of the antiquarian and modern associations of the region where he was born, concerning which she inquired, and of Carlisle (“ Caer Lewel, about the same age as Solomon "); also with much pleasant talk of Berlin and Potsdam. He told Majesty about his grandfather's ride in old times to Glasgow, when a man worth ten thousand pounds was considered a Croesus, when the people sang psalms and the streets were silent at 9.30 P.M."hard, sound, presbyterian root of what has now shot up into a hemlock-tree," to which Majesty responded with a soft, low-voiced politeness which pleased Carlyle well. He went to the interview by the underground railway, and by the same conveyance "was home before seven, and out of the adventure with no more than a headache."

When the decoration of the Grand Cross of Bath was offered and declined, the throne, the ministry, and the people heard once more from the vicinity of Ayr the brave song:

"A prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, and a' that;

But an honest man's aboon his might-
Guid faith he maunna fa' that!

For a' that, and a' that,

Their dignities, and a' that,

The pith o' sense, and pride o' worth,
Are higher ranks than a' that."

Carlyle was sensible of a certain magnanimity in Disraeli's proffer of this honor, for he had written some severe things about the Prime-minister. The two men had never been introduced to each other. Disraeli perhaps thought that Carlyle remembered an early satire he had written upon him, which was not the case, Carlyle being always utterly free from personal resentments of that kind. Their point of nearest contact was when they were sitting together upon the late Lord Derby's commission of the National Portrait Gallery. On that occasion the portrait of Lord Brougham (he still living) was offered, and though all present felt that the acceptance of it would be a bad precedent-since politicians might utilize the gallery to advance their fame-yet all hesitated to oppose the offer save one. Carlyle rose

up and said that, "since the rest hesitated, he begged leave to move that the Brougham picture be for the present rejected." The motion was adopted; and Disraeli left his seat, went round to where Carlyle was, and stood before him for a few moments, uttering no word, but fairly beaming upon the only man who had the courage to do that which all felt to be right.

Disraeli's letter to Carlyle was not merely munificent-offering not only the order, but also what sum of money might be desired to support it- but it was expressed with the finest taste and feeling. The order was fixed on because it had been kept more pure than others; and "since you, like myself, are childless," wrote the Premier, the common baronetcy seemed less appropriate. Carlyle wrote an equally courteous and noble reply in declining. Carlyle introduced Emerson to the English public as the singular American "who did not want to be President," and he must now himself be recorded as the eccentric Briton who did not want to be decorated. One honor Carlyle did value-the naming of a green space in Chelsea "Carlyle Square."

On Saturday, December 4, 1875, when Carlyle completed his eightieth year, a number of his friends and others variously representing literature united in an address to him as follows:

66

TO THOMAS CARLYLE.

"Dec. 4, 1875.

SIR,-We beg leave, on this interesting and memorable anniversary, to tender you the expression of our most respectful good wishes. "Not a few of the voices which would have been dearest to you to hear to-day are silent in death. There may perhaps be some compensation in the assurance of the reverent sympathy and affectionate gratitude of many thousands of living men and women throughout the British Islands and elsewhere, who have derived delight and inspiration from the noble series of your writings, and who have noted also how powerfully the world has been influenced by your great personal example. A whole generation has elapsed since you described for us the hero as a man of letters. We congratulate you and ourselves on the spacious fulness of years which has enabled you to sustain this rare dignity among mankind in all its possible splendor and completeness. It is a matter for general rejoicing that a teacher whose genius and achievements have lent radiance to his time still dwells amidst us; and our hope is that you may yet long continue in fair health, to feel how much you are loved and honored, and to rest in the retrospect of a brave and illustrious life.

"We request you to do us the honor to accept the accompanying copy of a medal designed by Mr. J. E. Boehm, which has been struck in commemoration of the day."

The medal bears on one of its faces a medallion of Mr. Carlyle, by Mr. Boehm, and on the obverse the words "In Commemoration. Dec. 4, 1875." Silver and bronze copies were struck for the use of the subscribers, with a few for presentation to public institutions. The copy Mr. Carlyle was requested to accept was in gold.