hey have no time to meddle with you. London, or else
the Backwoods of America, or Craigenputtock! We shall see.
I still beg the comfort of hearing from you. I am sick of soul
and body, but not incurable; the loving word of a Waldo Emerson
is as balm to me, medicinal now more than ever. My Wife
earnestly joins me in love to the Concord Household. May a
blessing be in it, on one and all! I do nowise give up the idea
of sojourning there one time yet. On the contrary, it seems
almost certain that I shall. Good be with you.
Yours always,
T. Carlyle*
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* Emerson wrote in his Diary, July 27, 1837: "A letter today
from Carlyle rejoiced me. Pleasant would life be with such
companions. But if you cannot have them on good mutual terms you
cannot have them. If not the Deity but our wilfulness hews and
shapes the new relations, their sweetness escapes, as
strawberries lose their flavor by cultivation."
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XVII. Emerson to Carlyle
Concord, 13 September, 1837
My Dear Friend,--Such a gift as the _French Revolution_ demanded
a speedier acknowledgment. But you mountaineers that can scale
Andes before breakfast for an airing have no measures for the
performance of lowlanders and valetudinarians. I am ashamed to
think, and will not tell, what little things have kept me silent.
The _French Revolution_ did not reach me until three weeks ago,
having had at least two long pauses by the way, as I find, since
landing. Between many visits received, and some literary
haranguing done, I have read two volumes and half the third and I
think you a very good giant; disporting yourself with an
original and vast ambition of fun: pleasure and peace not being
strong enough for you, you choose to suck pain also, and teach
fever and famine to dance and sing. I think you have written a
wonderful book, which will last a very long time. I see that you
have created a history, which the world will own to be such. You
have recognized the existence of other persons than officers, and
of other relations than civism. You have broken away from all
books, and written a mind. It is a brave experiment, and the
success is great. We have men in your story and not names
merely; always men, though I may doubt sometimes whether I have
the historic men. We have great facts--and selected facts--truly
set down. We have always the co-presence of Humanity along with
the imperfect damaged individuals
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