Literary by-paths in old England . ous brothers work,or at least to have been indifferent to immortalachievements in the realm of literature. Hewas met one day in the village by a party ofAmerican pilgrims, who, ignorant of his identity,asked of him the whereabouts of Carlyles grave. Which Carlyle ? Oh, the great Carlyle,Thomas Carlyle. With unmoved face he gavethe information asked, and was rewarded with afine outburst of hero-worship. We have comeall the way from America, said the spokesmanof the pilgrims, to lay this wreath on our greatteachers grave. Ha ! rejoined he, still un-moved, its a
Literary by-paths in old England . ous brothers work,or at least to have been indifferent to immortalachievements in the realm of literature. Hewas met one day in the village by a party ofAmerican pilgrims, who, ignorant of his identity,asked of him the whereabouts of Carlyles grave. Which Carlyle ? Oh, the great Carlyle,Thomas Carlyle. With unmoved face he gavethe information asked, and was rewarded with afine outburst of hero-worship. We have comeall the way from America, said the spokesmanof the pilgrims, to lay this wreath on our greatteachers grave. Ha ! rejoined he, still un-moved, its a gey harmless occupation! Again,at some meeting of the farmers in the district,the rent day probably, a dinner was given, andsome long-winded yeoman said grace before themeal. Jamie listened through it patiently, thensaluted his over-unctuous neighbour with the re-mark, A vera guid blessing, Wullie, but ye vespoilt the soup. 304 IN OLD ENGLAND No lies are told on Carlyles tombstone. Theinscription is simple and laconic. The family. Carlyles Grave crest, two wyverns, the family motto, Humilitate,and then these words : — 20 305 LITERARY BY-PATHS Here rests Thomas Carlyle, who was born at Ecclefechan,4th December, 1795, and died at 24 Cheyne Row, Chelsea,London, on Saturday, 5th February, 1881. That is all; and yet it is enough. There are twosignificant, pregnant words, Humilitate, the student of Carlyle they will preach deepermeanings than a Johnsonian epitaph. Whetherthe result of choice or accident, there is a singularappropriateness in John Carlyle sharing the graveof his illustrious brother. They had commonaims in life; they will both live in literature, andin their death they are not divided. In his reminiscences of his father, and in therough notes he made of family history, Carlyleis at great pains to forestall any unfavourablecriticism of his kindred. In such Annandalequarrels as the Carlyles mingled, they werenot, he says, aggressive; their contentions wereonl
Size: 1586px × 1575px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorshelleyh, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1906
