greater things, will stand. If the two volumes are of that quality, they will be worth a welcome. I cannot expect them now till the beginning of May; or perhaps I may even still find them with Fraser at Whitsuntide. Here among the moors they were best of all.

"The starting of your Journal was a glad event for me; it seems one of the hopefullest projects in these days: and surely it must be a strange public, one would think, in which

prospers and

Leigh Hunt fails. You must bear up steadily at first; it is there, in this as in all things, that the grand difficulties lie.

"Thornton need be under no uneasiness about Henry Inglis, from whom we heard not long ago, with some remark, too, of a very friendly character, about the traveller in question, and not the faintest hint about pounds or shillings.

"I am writing nothing; reading, above all things, my old Homer and Prolegomena enough; the old song itself with a most singular delight. Fancy me as reading till you see me; then must another scene open. Your newspapers will interest me; as for the unhappy 'Sartor,' none can detest him more than my present self. There are some ten pages rightly fused and harmonious; the rest is only welded, or even agglomerated, and may be thrown to the swine. All salutations from us both!

"Valete et nos amate!

T. CARLYLE."

30.*

"CHELSEA, June 17, 1850.

"DEAR HUNT,-I have just finished your 'Autobiography,' which has been most pleasantly occupying all my leisure these three days; and you must permit me to write you a word upon it, out of the fulness of the heart, while the impulse is still fresh, to thank you. This good book, in every sense one of the best I have read this long while, has awakened many old thoughts which never were extinct, or even properly asleep, but which (like so much else) have had to fall silent amid the tempests of an evil timeHeaven mend it! A word from me once more, I know, will not be unwelcome while the world is talking of you.

“Well, I call this an excellent good book, by far the best of the autobiographic kind I remember to have read in the English language; and, indeed, except it be Boswell's of Johnson, I do not know where we have such a picture drawn of human life as in these three volumes.

"A pious, ingenious, altogether human and worthy book, imaging, with graceful honesty and free felic

*This letter, though most of it appeared in an edition of Leigh Hunt's "Autobiography," is here for the first time printed verbatim, and therefore included among others which appear here for the first time.

ity, many interesting objects and persons on your life-path, and imaging throughout, what is best of all, a gifted, gentle, patient, and valiant human soul, as it buffets its way through the billows of the time, and will not drown, though often in danger; cannot be drowned, but conquers, and leaves a track of radiance behind it that, I think, comes out more clearly to me than in any other of your books; and that, I can venture to assure you, is the best of all results to realize in a book or written record. In fact, this book has been like an exercise of devotion to me; I have not assisted at any sermon, liturgy or litany, this long while, that has had so religious an effect on me. Thanks in the name of all men! And believe, along with me, that this book will be welcome to other generations as well as ours. And long may you live. to write more books for us; and may the evening sun be softer on you (and on me) than the noon sometimes was!

"Adieu, dear Hunt (you must let me use this familiarity, for I am now an old fellow too, as well as you). I have often thought of coming up to see you once more; and perhaps I shall, one of these days (though horribly sick and lonely, and beset with spectral lions, go whitherward one may); but, whether I do or not, believe forever in my regard. And so God bless you! prays heartily T. CARLYLE."

31.

"CHELSEA, June 21.

"DEAR HUNT,-Many kind thanks! I saw the book, and sent thanks for it by Vincent; but I did not know, till this minute, what other pleasant things lay in the letter itself, which the dusk and the hurry would not suffer me to read at the moment. By all means, yes, yes! My wife is overjoyed at the prospect of seeing you again in the good old style. Courage, and do not disappoint us. We are here, quite disengaged, and shall be right glad to see you.

"I hope Vincent explained what a miscellaneous uproar had accidentally got about me to-night, and how for want of light, as well as of time, I missed the kernel of the letter altogether. Tuesday, remember! We dine about five, and tea comes naturally about seven-sooner if you will come sooner.

"One of my people to-night, an accomplished kind of American, has begged a card of introduction to you. He is a son of a certain noted Judge Story; is himself, I believe, a kind of sculptor and artist, as well as lawyer. Pray receive him if he call; you will find him a friendly and entertainable and entertaining man.

"And so, till Tuesday evening,

"Yours with all regard,

“T. CARLYLE.”

32.

TO WILLIAM BRIDGES.

"CHELSEA, November 19, 1846.

"MY DEAR SIR,-I have read your letter, 'History in a Nutshell,' with much pleasure. It is surely an eloquent, pious, melodious conception of that immeasurable matter; and, if you chose to elaborate it further, might lead you into all manner of interesting analogies and contrasts. I like well, in particular, that co-ordinating of sacred events with events called 'Profane.' We ought to know always that if any one of them be sacred, they are all sacred. That is the right use to make of the, at present, very burdensome 'Hebrew element' in our affairs. In this way we shall conquer it, not let it conquer us— which latter is a very bad result, worse even than running from it; as the world in these centuries, as a bad-best, is very much inclined to do. I should be glad to know more minutely what you are about of late; and to see you here some evening when you feel inclined to walk so far.

1

"Yours very truly,

"T. CARLYLE.”