ccasion to comment on Mr. Mazzini and his affairs may do
well to take along with us, as a thing leading towards new clearness,
and not towards new additional darkness, regarding him and them.

"Whether the extraneous Austrian Emperor and miserable old chimera
of a Pope shall maintain themselves in Italy, or be obliged to decamp
from Italy, is not a question in the least vital to Englishmen. But
it is a question vital to us that sealed letters in an English
post-office be, as we all fancied they were, respected as things
sacred; that opening of men's letters, a practice near of kin to
picking men's pockets, and to other still viler and far fataler forms
of scoundrelism be not resorted to in England, except in cases of the
very last extremity. When some new gunpowder plot may be in the
wind, some double-dyed high treason, or imminent national wreck not
avoidable otherwise, then let us open letters--not till then.

"To all Austrian Kaisers and such like, in their time of trouble,
let us answer, as our fathers from of old have answered:--Not by such
means is help here for you. Such means, allied to picking of pockets
and viler forms of scoundrelism, are not permitted in this country for
your behoof. The right hon. Secretary does himself detest such, and
even is afraid to employ them. He dare not: it would be dangerous
for him! All British men that might chance to come in view of such
a transaction, would incline to spurn it, and trample on it, and
indignantly ask him what he meant by it?

"I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

"THOMAS CARLYLE.[A]

"Chelsea, June 18."

[Footnote A: From _The Times_, Wednesday, June 19, 1844.]

The autumn of this year was saddened for Carlyle by the loss of
the dear friend whose biography he afterwards wrote. On the 18th of
September, 1844--after a short career of melancholy promise, only half
fulfilled--John Sterling died, in his thirty-ninth year.

The next work that appeared from Carlyle's pen--a special service
to history, and to the memory of one of England's greatest men--was
"Oliver Cromwell's Letters and Speeches, with Elucidations and a
Connecting Narrative," two volumes, published in 1845. If there were
any doubt remaining after the publication of the "French Revolution"
what position our author might occupy amongst the historians of the
age, it was fully removed on the appearance of "Cromwell's Letters."
The work obtained a great and an immediate popularity; and though
b