"As yet my books are lying as ghost books,in a limbo on the banks of a certain Bristolian Styx,humanly speaking,a _Canal_;but the other apparatus of life is gathered about me,and performs its diurnal functions.The place pleases me better than I expected:a far lookout on all sides,over green country;a sufficient old City lying in the hollow near;and civilization,in no tumultuous state,rather indeed stagnant,visible in the Rows of Houses and Gardens which call themselves Clifton.I hope soon to take a lease of a house,where Imay arrange myself more methodically;keep myself equably boiling in my own kitchen;and spread myself over a series of book-shelves....Ihave just been interrupted by a visit from Mrs.Strachey;with whom Idined yesterday.She seems a very good and thoroughly kind-hearted woman;and it is pleasant to have her for a neighbor....I have read Emerson's Pamphlets.I should find it more difficult than ever to write to him."_To his Father_.
"_June 30th_,1839.--Of Books I shall have no lack,though no plethora;and the Reading-room supplies all one can want in the way of Papers and Reviews.I go there three or four times a week,and inquire how the human race goes on.I suppose this Turco-Egyptian War will throw several diplomatists into a state of great excitement,and massacre a good many thousands of Africans and Asiatics?--For the present,it appears,the English Education Question is settled.Iwish the Government had said that,in their inspection and superintendence,they would look only to secular matters,and leave religious ones to the persons who set up the schools,whoever these might be.It seems to me monstrous that the State should be prevented taking any efficient measures for teaching Roman Catholic children to read,write and cipher,merely because they believe in the Pope,and the Pope is an impostor,--which I candidly confess he is!There is no question which I can so ill endure to see made a party one as that of Education."--The following is of the same day:--"_To Thomas Carlyle,Esq.,Chelsea,London_.
"MANOR HOUSE,CLIFTON PLACE,CLIFTON,"30th June,1839.
"MY DEAR CARLYLE,--I have heard,this morning,from my Father,that you are to set out on Tuesday for Scotland:so I have determined to fillip away some spurt of ink in your direction,which may reach you before you move towards Thule.
"Writing to you,in fact,is considerably easier than writing about you;which has been my employment of late,at leisure moments,--that is,moments of leisure from idleness,not work.As you partly guessed,I took in hand a Review of _Teufelsdrockh_--for want of a better Heuschrecke to do the work;and when I have been well enough,and alert enough,during the last fortnight,have tried to set down some notions about Tobacco,Radicalism,Christianity,Assafoetida and so forth.But a few abortive pages are all the result as yet.If my speculations should ever see daylight,they may chance to get you into scrapes,but will certainly get me into worse....But one must work;_sic itur ad astra_,--and the _astra_are always there to befriend one,at least as asterisks,filling up the gaps which yawn in vain for words.
"Except my unsuccessful efforts to discuss you and your offences,Ihave done nothing that leaves a trace behind;--unless the endeavor to teach my little boy the Latin declensions shall be found,at some time short of the Last Day,to have done so.I have--rather I think from dyspepsia than dyspneumony--been often and for days disabled from doing anything but read.In this way I have gone through a good deal of Strauss's Book;which is exceedingly clever and clearheaded;with more of insight,and less of destructive rage than I expected.It will work deep and far,in such a time as ours.When so many minds are distracted about the history,or rather genesis of the Gospel,it is a great thing for partisans on the one side to have,what the other never have wanted,a Book of which they can say,This is our Creed and Code,--or rather Anti-creed and Anti-code.And Strauss seems perfectly secure against the sort of answer to which Voltaire's critical and historical shallowness perpetually exposed him.I mean to read the Book through.It seems admitted that the orthodox theologians have failed to give any sufficient answer.--I have also looked through Michelet's _Luther_,with great delight;and have read the fourth volume of Coleridge's _Literary Remains_,in which there are things that would interest you.He has a great hankering after Cromwell,and explicitly defends the execution of Charles.
"Of Mrs.Strachey we have seen a great deal;and might have seen more,had I had time and spirits for it.She is a warm-hearted,enthusiastic creature,whom one cannot but like.She seems always excited by the wish for more excitement than her life affords.And such a person is always in danger of doing something less wise than his best knowledge and aspirations;because he must do something,and circumstances do not allow him to do what he desires.Thence,after the first glow of novelty,endless self-tormenting comes from the contrast between aims and acts.She sets out,with her daughter and two boys,for a Tour in Wales to-morrow morning.Her talk of you is always most affectionate;and few,I guess,will read _Sartor_with more interest than she.
