An amazing letter from Margaret Fuller to Ralph Waldo Emerson - where she describes Thomas Carlyle.
I have been reading Carlyle's incredible history of the French Revolution for, oh, 2 years now, off and on ... I can only deal with a couple pages at a time, it's so dense - you can't even believe what you're reading ... you also can't even believe that his star of fame has set so decidedly - he was once one of the most famous writers in the world!! THE historian. There's definitely a feeling that that should not be the case - he should be read again - anyhoo, that's neither here nor there. He is not an EASY read - not one sentence is easy, as a matter of fact - and sounds like, from the letter, that he was not an easy man in real life as well. I know he had a strange and long unhappy marriage ... but perhaps a great brain such as himself could not really be happy amongst other human beings. Who knows. I love the glimpse we get of Carlyle here.
Posted by sheila | TrackBackI've always heard that Carlyle's writing mirrored his speaking style. Whenever I read him, I find myself having to do it out loud (although I'll never manage the booming Scottish accent he had). Thanks for the link!
Posted by: Sarah at September 27, 2007 9:40 AMSarah - hahaha Maybe I should try reading him with a Scottish accent - maybe I wouldn't find it so arduous then!! (Don't get me wrong, i am LOVING the French Revolution book - it's just hard, you know?)
Posted by: red at September 27, 2007 10:14 AMThat is a wonderful letter.
The poet William Allingham, in his Diaries, gives us great views of Carlyle as well as Tennyson and other contemporaries. Thoroughly recommended.
Posted by: graboy at September 28, 2007 5:45 AM