been removed on their original appearance in the magazine, either for want of space, or for other editorial reasons or caprices. Letter from By-and-bye came a letter from Goethe in acknowledgment of a copy of the translation of Wilhelm Meister. In March 1825 Carlyle journeyed back north by Birmingham, Manchester, Oldham, Marsden, Blackburn, Bolton, and Carlisle. On May 26th, 1825, he established himself at Hoddam Hill, where he remained for a year, and took to doing German Romance as his daily work ("ten pages daily,' my stint," he says). German Romance consisted of a German series of short tales, selected and translated from Musüus, La Motte Fouqué, Tieck, Hoffmann, and Richter, concluding with a translation of Goethe's magnificent fragment of Wilhelm Meister's Wanderjahre (Wilhelm Meister's Travels), then newly published. Many years afterwards, when the first collected edition of his writings came to be issued, Carlyle himself described it as "a book of translations, not of my suggesting or desiring, but of my executing as honest journey-work in defect of better. The pieces selected were the suitablest discoverable on such terms: not quite of less than no worth (I considered) any piece of them; nor, alas, of a very high worth any, except one only." The work appeared at Edinburgh in four volumes in 1827. The original edition is now much prized by collectors, as the translations from La Motte Fouqué and Hoffmann in the first and second volumes have not been reprinted. Meantime, on May 26th, 1826, his year at Hoddam Hill having expired, Carlyle went to live for awhile at Scotsbrig, whither his father had removed; but in October 1826, on his marriage to Miss Jane Welsh, settled himself at Comely Bank, in the precincts of Edinburgh. Marriage to German Romance: Specimens of its Chief Authors; with Biograph ical and Critical Notices. By the Translator of Wilhelm Meister, and Author of the Life of Schiller. In Four Volumes. Edinburgh: William Tait, and Charles Tait, London, 1827. Vol. I. (containing Musäus and La Motte Fouqué), pp. xv. 337. Vol. II. (containing Tieck and Hoffmann), pp. 317. Vol. III. (containing Jean Paul Friedrich Richter), pp. 309. Vol. IV. (cou. taining Goethe), pp. 352. There is an engraved title and vignette to each volume, in addition to the ordinary title. CHAPTER III. MARRIAGE.-CRAIGENPUTTOCH.-SECOND VISIT TO LONDON." SARTOR RESARTUS." JANE WELSH was the only daughter and only child of Dr. John Welsh, of Had Jaue Welsh. dington. Carlyle had first seen her in June 1821, it appears, while he was on a visit to Haddington with his friend Edward Irving of whom she had been formerly a pupil. She was born at Haddington, 14th July 1801. Her father had been dead some seven years when Carlyle and she were married, and the life interest of her inheritance in the farm of Craigenputtoch had been made over to her mother, who survived until 1842, when it reverted to Carlyle. A pretty story of the girlhood of Carlyle's future wife may here be quoted from Mrs. Oliphant's Life of Edward Irving. Further notice of her (except what may transpire incidentally) is reserved for a later portion of this work. Story of her childhood. "When Irving first came to Haddington,* he was a tall, ruddy, robust, handsome youth, cheerful and kindly disposed. He soon won the confidence of his advanced pupils, and was admitted into the best society in the town and neighbourhood. Into one house, at least, he went with a more genial introduction, and under circumstances equally interesting and amusing. This was the house of Dr. Welsh, the principal medical man of the district, whose family consisted of one little daughter, for whose training he entertained more ambitious views than little girls are generally the subjects of. This little girl, however, was as unique in mind as in circumstances. She heard, with eager childish wonder, a perennial discussion carried on between her father and mother about her education; both were naturally anxious to secure the special sympathy and companionship of their only child. The Doctor, recovering from his disappointment that she was a girl, was bent upon educating her like a boy, to make up as far as possible • In his eighteenth year, in the summer of 1810. for the unfortunate drawback of sex; while her mother, on the contrary, hoped for nothing higher in her daughter than the sweet domestic companion most congenial to herself. The child, who was not supposed to understand, listened eagerly, as children invariably do listen to all that is intended to be spoken over their heads. Her ambition was roused; to be educated like a boy became the object of her entire thoughts, and set her little mind working with independent projects of its own. She resolved to take the first step in this awful but fascinating course, on her own responsibility. Having already divined that Latin was the first grand point of distinction, she made up her mind to settle the matter by learning Latin. A copy of the Rudiments was quickly found in the lumberroom of the house, and a tutor not much further off in a humble student of the neighbourhood. The little scholar had a dramatic instinct; she did not pour forth her first lesson as soon as it was acquired, or rashly betray her secret. She waited the fitting place and moment. It was evening, when dinner had softened out the asperities of the day: the Doctor sat in luxurious leisure in his dressing-gown and slippers, sipping his coffee; and all the cheerful accessories of the fireside picture were complete. |