the district of Menteith on the Highland border two centuries ago, he for his part found it more convenient to supply himself with beef by stealing it alive from the adjacent glens than by buying it killed in the Stirling butchers'-market. It was Mr. Roy's plan of supplying himself with beef in those days, this of stealing it. In many a littleCongress' in the district of Menteith there was debating, doubt it not, and much specious argumentation this way and that, before they could ascertain that, really and truly, buying was the best way to get your beef; which, however, in the long run, they did with one assent find it indisputably to be: and accordingly they hold by it to this day."

CHAPTER IX.

CROMWELL'S LETTERS AND SPEECHES, ETO.—
MARGARET FULLER.

By this time Carlyle was beginning to lay the foundation for the second of his three great historical works, Oliver Cromwell's Letters and Speeches.

Visit to
Rugby.

While engaged on this work, he went down to Rugby by express invitation, on Friday, 13th May 1842, and on the following day explored the field of Naseby, in company with Dr. Arnold. The meeting of two such remarkable men-only six weeks before the death of the latter-has in it

• "Carlyle dined and slopt here on Friday last, and on Saturday we went over with my wife and two of my boys to Nasoby field, and explored the scene of the great battle very

satisfactorily."-(Dr. Arnold to the Rov. Dr. Hawkins: Rugby, May 19, 1842.)-Stanley's Life and Correspondence of Arnold. London, 1846, p. 604.

Dr. Arnold.

something solemn and touching, and unusually interesting. Carlyle left the school-house, expressing the hope that it might "long continue to be what was to him one of the rarest sights in the world—a temple of industrious peace. Arnold, who, with the deep sympathy arising from kindred nobility of soul, had long cherished a high reverence for Carlyle, was very proud of having received such a guest under his roof, and during those few last weeks of his life was wont to be in high spirits, talking with his several guests, and describing with much interest his recent visit to Naseby with Carlyle, "its position on some of the highest table-land in England-the streains falling on the one side into the Atlantic, on the other into the German Ocean-far away, too, from any town-Market Harborough, the nearest, into which the cavaliers were chased late in the long summer evening on the 14th of June."

Past and
Present.

In 1843 appeared Past and Present-perhaps the greatest of Carlyle's works apart from his three Histories. Emerson made it the subject of a paper in a monthly magazine then appearing at Boston, entitled

• Stanley's Life of Arnold, p. 611.

The Dial, conducted conjointly by himself and Margaret Fuller, of whom more anon, and the book formed the text for an article on "The Genius and Tendency of Carlyle's Writings," which Mazzini, then an exile in England, contributed to the British and Foreign Review in October 1813.

A very admirable letter, addressed by Carlyle in 1843 to a young man who had written to him desiring his advice as to a proper choice of reading, and, it would appear also, as to his conduct in general, we shall here bring forth from its hiding-place in an old Scottish paper of the time :

"DEAR SIR,

"Chelsea, 13th March 1843.

"Some time ago your letter was delivered me; I take literally the first free half-hour I have had since to write you a word of answer.

"It would give me true satisfaction could any advice of mine contribute to forward you in your honourable course of self-improvement, but a long experience has taught me that advice can

• "Carlyle's Past and Present." -The Dial: a Magazine for Literature, Philosophy,

and

Religion. Boston, July 1843 (vol. iv. pp. 96-102).

Reprinted in the Life and Writings of Joseph Mazzini (Lond. 1867) vol. iv. pp. 56-144.

Cupar and St. Andrews

Monthly Advertiser.

profit but little; that there is a good reason why advice is so seldom followed; this reason namely, that it so seldom is, and can almost never be, rightly given. No man knows the state of another: it is always to some more or less imaginary man that the wisest and most honest adviser is speaking.

"As to the books which you-whom I know so little of-should read, there is hardly anything definite that can be said. For one thing, you may be strenuously advised to keep reading. Any good book, any book that is wiser than yourself, will teach you something-a great many things, indirectly and directly, if your mind be open to learn. This old counsel of Johnson's is also good, and universally applicable Read the book you do honestly feel a wish and curiosity to read.' The very wish and curiosity indicates that you, then and there, are the person likely to get good of it. Our wishes are presentiments of our capabilities;' that is a noble saying, of deep encouragement to all true men; applicable to our wishes and efforts in regard to reading as to other things. Among all the objects that look wonderful or beautiful to you, follow with fresh hope the one which looks wonderfullest, beautifullest. You will gradually find, by various trials (which trials