interior of the bodies to give rise to enormous eruptions of the hotter matter from within, immensely greater but similar in kind to solar eruptions.

In such a state of things we should have, in the existence of portions of the same gas at different levels and temperatures, conditions so favorable for the pro

continual change, similar to those exhib ited by the lines of the nova, that we could not suppose them to be absent. The integration of light from all parts of the disturbed surfaces of the bodies might give breadth to the lines, and might ac count for the varying irregularities of intensity of different parts of the lines.

ments may have taken place. A reasonable explanation may perhaps be found, if we venture to assume, though with some hesitation, as the subject is very obscure, two gaseous bodies, or bodies with gaseous atmospheres, moving away from each other after a near approach in parabolic or hyperbolic orbits. If our sun were nearly in the line of axis of the orbits, the com-duction of reversed lines undergoing ponents of the motions of the two bodies in the line of sight after the bodies had swung round, might well be as rapid and remain relatively as unchanged as those observed in the new star. Unfortunately, decisive information from the motions of the two bodies at the critical time of the outburst is wanting, for the event through which the star became bright had been The source of the light of the continuover for some forty days before observa- ous spectrum, upon which were seen the tions were made with the spectroscope. dark lines of absorption shifted towards Analogy from the variable stars of long the blue, must have remained behind the period would suggest the view that the cooler absorbing gas; indeed must have near approach of the two bodies may have formed with it the body which was apbeen of the nature of a periodical disturb-proaching us, unless we assume that ance arising at long intervals in a complex system of bodies. Chandler has recently shown in the case of Algol that the minor irregularities in the variation of its light are probably caused by the presence of one or more bodies in the system besides the bright star and the dusky one which partially eclipses it. To a similar cause are probably due the minor irregularities which form so prominent a feature in the waxing and waning of the variable stars as a class. We know, too, that the stellar orbits are usually very eccentric. In the case of y Virginis, the eccentricity is as great as o‘9, and Auwers has recently found Sirius to have the considerable eccentricity of 0.63.

But a casual near approach of two bodies of great size would be a greatly less improbable event than an actual collision. The phenomena of the new star scarcely permit us to suppose even a partial collision, though if the bodies were diffused enough, or the approach close enough, there may have been possibly some mutual interpenetration and mingling of the rare gases near their boundaries.

An explanation which would better accord with what we know of the behavior of the nova may, perhaps, be found in a view put forward many years ago by Klinkerfues and recently developed by Wilsing, that under such circumstances of near approach enormous tidal disturb ances would be set up, amounting, it may be, to partial deformation in the case of a gaseous body, and producing sufficiently great changes of pressure in the

both bodies were moving exactly in the line of sight, or that the absorbing gas was of very enormous extent.

The difference of state between the two bodies, as shown by the receding one emitting bright lines, while the approaching body behaved similarly to white star in giving a continuous spectrum with broad absorption lines, may perhaps be accounted for by the two bodies being in different evolutionary stages, and differing consequently in diffuseness and in temperature. We appear, indeed, to have a similar state of things in the variable star B Lyræ, of which one component star gives bright lines, and the other a spectrum with dark lines of absorption. In the case of the nova, we must assume a similar chemical nature for both bodies, and that they existed under conditions sufficiently similar for equivalent dark and bright lines to appear in their respective spectra.

We know nothing of the distance of the nova from our system, but the assumption is not an improbable one, that it was as far away from us as the nova of 1876, for which Sir Robert Ball failed to find any parallax. If this be so, the emission of light suddenly set up in the very faint stars, certainly within two days, and possibly, as in the case of the nova of 1866, within a few hours, was much greater than the light emitted by our sun. Yet within some fifty days after its discovery at the end of January, its light fell to about the one-three-hundredth part, and in some three months to the one-ten-thousandth part. So long as its spectrum could be

fact, covering the dust of the Poet; the Figure itself standing at the head of the grave, against the wall. And so enough of it; and may the poor little Package arrive safe, and kindly bring me before you again!

observed, the chief features remained unchanged. Under what conditions could we suppose the sun to cool down sufficiently for its light to decrease to a similar extent in so short a time, and without the incurring of material changes in the solar spectrum? It is, therefore, scarcely conceivable that we have to do with the conversion of gravitational energy into light and heat. On the view we have ventured to suggest, the rapid calming down, after some swayings to and fro of the tidal disturbances, and the closing in again of the outer and cooler gases, together with the want of transparency which often comes in under such circumstances, might acing in the dark chaos that it could seem count reasonably for the very rapid, and at first curiously fluctuating, waning of the nova, as well as for the want of change in its spectrum.

The writer may be permitted to state that the view suggested by Dr. Allen Miller and himself in the case of the nova of 1866, was so far similar that they ascribed its outbursts to erupted gases, but with our present knowledge of the light-changes of stars, the writer would now hesitate to make the further sug. gestion that chemical action may have contributed to its sudden and transient splendor. WILLIAM HUGGINS.

From The New Review.

I have been silent this long while, only hearing of you from third parties; the more is the pity for me. In fact, I have not been well; travelling, too, in Scotland, in Ireland; much tumbled about by manifold confusions outward and inward; and have, on the whole, been silent to all the world; silent till clearer days should come. I have still no fixed work; noth

beautiful to conquer and do; - no work to write at; and as for reading, alas that has become, and is ever more becoming, a most sorry business for me; and often enough I feel as if Caliph Omar, long ago, was pretty much in the right after all; as if there might be worse feats than burning whole continents of rhetorical, logical, historical, philosophical jangle, and insincere obsolete rubbish, out of one's way; and leaving some living God's-message, real Koran or "Thing worth reading" in its stead! These are my heterodoxies, my paradoxes of which too I try to know the limits. But in very deed I do expect from the region of Silence some salvation for myself and others; not from the region of Speech, of written or Oral Babblement, unless that latter very much alter soon! Cant has filled the whole universe, - from

LETTERS OF CARLYLE TO VARNHAGEN Nadir up to Zenith, God deliver us!

VON ENSE.

Chelsea, London: Decr. 16, 1846.

MY DEAR SIR, Yesterday there went from Mr. Nutt's shop, imbedded, I suppose, in a soft mass of English Literature, a small box bearing your address; which I hope may reach you safely, in time for a New-year's remembrance of me. It is a model of the Tomb of Shakespeare, done by an ingenious little artist here; which may perhaps interest you or some of your friends, for a moment. I understand the likeness in all respects to be nearly perfect, which indeed is the sole merit of such a thing;;- a perfect copy of the old monument, as it stands within Stratford Church for these two centuries and more:-only with regard to that part of the Inscription, "Sweet friends, for Jesus' sake," &c. to these lines, which in the model have found room for themselves directly under the Figure of Shakespeare, you are to understand that, in the original, they lay on the floor of the Church, some three feet in advance of the Figure; in

Preuss's "Friedrich" has not yet reached hither, except through private channels; but I mean to make an effort for sight of it by and by. I have the old "Euvres de Frédéric " beside me here; but without chronology and perpetual commentary they are entirely illegible. "Zinzendorf" received long since, and read: thanks! - Yours ever truly,

T. CARLYLE.

Chelsea, London: March 3, 1847. MY DEAR SIR, Some ten days ago your new volume of " Denkwürdigkeiten was safely handed in to me; I fancy it must have been delayed among the ice of the Elbe, for the note accompanying it bears date a good while back. Thanks for this new kindness; a valued Gift, to be counted with very many other which I now owe to you.- -Some time before, there had arrived your announcement that the little Tomb of Shakespeare had made its way across the impediments and, what was very welcome to me, that you meant

to show it to Herr Tiek. Surely, there is be excited and ever anew excited, till it also no man in all the world that deserves bet- had to kindle and flame along with him. ter to see it! Will you say to him, if he "Kerle, Ihr sehet aus wie Schweine!" knows my name at all, that I send him my and then these scenes, as at Katztadt, affectionate respects and salutations; that," Napoleon just behind me, say you?" or for the last twenty years and more, he has to the enthusiastic Public on the streets flourished always in my mind as a true of Halberstadt, "So mögt Ihr denn alle noble "Singing-Tree" in that German!"— I have laughed aloud at such land of Phantasus and Poesis, that I, and naivetes, every time they have come into very many here, still listen to him with the my mind since. Thanks again and again friendliest regards, with true love and rev-for painting us such pictures, a real poserence, and bid him live long as a veteran session for all men. very precious to us. Your king did no act that got him more votes from the instructed part of this Community, than that of his recalling Tiek in the way he did, to a country where he was indeed unique, and which had good reason to be proud of him.

Of my own affairs I can report no alteration hitherto. I remain contentedly idle; shall doubtless feel a call to work again by and by, but wait unbeschreiblich ruhig (as Attila Schmelze has it) for that questionable consummation! I am very seri ous in my ever deepening regard for the "Silences" that are in our Existence, quite unheeded in these poor days; and do, for myself, regard Book-writing in such a time as but a Pis-aller. With which nevertheless one must persevere ! Adieu, my dear Sir, enliven me soon by another letter. T. CARLYLE.

Yours ever,

I have read the new volume of "Denkwürdigkeiten ;" and am veritably called to thank you, not in my private capacity alone, but as a speaker for the Public withal. If the Public thought as I do on such matters, that is to say, if the Public were not more or less a blockhead - the Public would say to itself, "This is the kind of thing that before all others is good for me at present! This, to give me an Chelsea, London: Nov. 5, 1847. account of memorable actions and events, MY DEAR SIR, — It is a long time since in more and more compact, intelligent, I heard from you; a long time since I illuminative form, evolving for me more wrote to you, a still longer indeed; so and more the real essence of said ac- that, however I may regret, there is no tions and events, this is Literature, Art, room for complaining: it is my own blame! Poetry, or what name you like to give it; Your last letter found me in Yorkshire; this is the real problem the writing-man wandering about the country, as I long has to solve for me, at present." Truly if continued to do, in the brightest Autumn I had command over you, I should say, weather; I did not get the Schiller book "Memoirs, and ever new Memoirs!" into actual possession till my return home, There are no books that give me so lively some little while ago; when I found there an impression of modern Facts as these had a second volume also arrived. Many of yours do. Withal I get a view as if kind thanks to you for such a Gift. For into the very heart of Prussia through its own worth, and for sake of the Giver, them; which also is highly valuable to it is right welcome to me. I finished the me. I can only bid you persevere, give second volume last night; my most interus what is possible; and must reflect with esting book for many months past; in regret that one man's capabilities in such great haste, I send you forthwith a word of respect are limited and not unlimited. hasty acknowledgment:-in great eager Last week too I have read with the live-ness for the Sequel too! The book does liest interest your book on "Blücher," which I had not sufficiently studied before. A Capital Book; a capital rough old Prussian Mastiff set forth to us there! I seem to see old Blücher face to face; recognize his supreme and indispensable worth in that vast heterogeneous Combination, which also to him was indispensable; for in a common element, one sees, he might very easily have spent himself, as hundreds like him have done, to comparatively small purpose; but that huge, inert mass was always there to fall back upon, to VOL. LXXIX. 4083

LIVING AGE.

not say who is Editor; have not You yourself perhaps some hand in it? Whoever the Editor may be, the whole world is bound to thank him. Never before did one see Schiller; the authentic homely Prose Schiller, out of whom the Hero Schiller as seen in Poetry and on the Public Stage hitherto, had to fashion himself and grow! And truly, as you say, they are one and the same. For the veracity, and real unconscious manliness of this poor, hungry Schilier of Prose, fighting his battle with the confusion of

and vivid in our circle here. Forgive my silence — silence is not good altogether, when there are kind hearts that will listen and reply! The advent of the New Year admonishes me that I should open my leaden lips, and speak once more, were it but as Odin's Prophetess, from the belly of the Grave! In the language of the season, I wish you a right brave New Year, and as many of them as your heart can still victoriously port in such a world. Courage! En avant! I will start up too, some day, and march along with you again, I doubt not.

the world, are everywhere admirable. No | ally had some image of you kept lurid cant in him; no weak sentimentalism; he has recognized the rugged fact in all its contradictoriness; looks round, with rapid, eager eye, upon his various milk-cows of finance, "This one will yield me so much, that so much, and I shall get through after all!" and is climbing towards the Ideal, all the while, by an impulse as if from the Gods. Throughout I recollected that portrait you sent me; with its big jaws, loose lips, hasty, eager eyes, all as in loose onset and advance, "Forward! Forward!" Poor Schiller, there is something that one loves extremely in that ragged, careless aspect of him; true to the very heart: a veritable Brother and Man! Körner too I hear universally recognized as a Tüchtiger; full of sense, of friendly candor and fidelity: it is rarely that one reads such a Correspondence between two modern men. Thanks to you all for giving it to us; thanks to you individually for sending it me at once.

I would fain send you some news of myself; but alas, that is a very waste Chapter, not fit for entering upon to-day! I have no work on hand that can be named; I feel only that the whole world of England, of Europe, grows daily full of new meanings, which it well beseems all persons of intelligence to try if they can read and speak. For the rest, I am very solitary; by choice and industry, keep solitary the world here, especially the world of "Literature" so called, is not my world. In fact I begin very greatly to despise the thing they call Literature," -and to envy the active ages that had none of it. A waste sea of vocables what salvation is there in that? Ranke's failure does not surprise me: If I were a Prussian or even German, I would decidedly try Friedrich. Adieu my dear Sir: be kind and write again soon. Yours ever truly, T. CARLYLE.

Some weeks ago your little Pamphlet on the question of German Unity (Schlichte Reden) came to me, a welcome little word, which I read with entire assent. This was your message hitherward; and now, the other day, I despatched for you a little old Book of mine which they have been republishing here;- a book of no moment; which probably you already have received: let this be a small memento from me, when you look upon it. Whether I shall ever write another book in this world has often seemed uncertain to me of late; but I believe I shall have to try it again before long, or else do worse!

What a year we have had since February last! The universal breaking down of old rotten thrones, and bursting up of street-barricades; enfuriated Sansculottism everywhere starting up, and glaring like a world-basilisk into the empty WanWan that pretended to be a god to it. "What art thou, accursed contemptibility of a Wan-Wan?" It is to me the most sordid, scandalous, and dismal sight the world ever offered in my time; and if there were not in the dark womb of that "abomination of desolation a ray of eternal light for me, I should think (like poor Niebuhr) the universe was going out, and pray for my own share, "From me hide it!" But withal I discern well, none more loyally. It is a sacred phe

Chelsea: Decr. 29, 1848. MY DEAR SIR,- It is a long sad time since I have written to you, or could ex-nomenon, a fulfilment of the eternal proph pect to hear any word directly from you: ecies, the beginning of a new birth of the for indeed I have been, and still am, in an world. A general "bankruptcy of Imaltogether inarticulate condition; writing posture " (so I define it); Imposture, long to nobody; in the highest degree indis- known by the wise for what it was, is posed to writing or uttering of myself in now known and declared for such to the any kind! You do not doubt but many foolish at the market-cross, and admits kind thoughts and remembrances have openly that it is a bankrupt piece of scancrossed the sea to you, all this while; nor dalism, and requests only time to gather do we want evidence of the like on your up its rags, and walk away unhanged. part; nay, from Miss Wynne and other- How can I lament at this? Dismal, wise, we have pretty accurately known abominable as the sight is, I cannot but how you were going on, and have gener-intrinsically rejoice at it. And yet what

a Future lies before us, for centuries to come, if we had any thought within us, which very few have.

The feeling here among considerate persons is, that Germany, in spite of all the explosions of nonsense we have seen, will certainly recover some balance; and march, like a brave country,—not towards Chaos, as some others seem to do! We can understand that it is all the dirty, the foul and mutinous folly that comes first to the top; but Germany deceives us all if there be not abundant silent heroic faculty in the heart of it; and indeed it is to England and Deutschland that the Problem seems to me now to have fallen: and a dreadful Problem it is, insoluble by the Southern genius, as we see. God assist us all! I am ever your affectionate friend, T. CARLYLE.

Goethe and Frau von Stein: but that deserves a chapter by itself! I read your copy. With pleasant wonder, which has not yet subsided into clear appreciation. [There is a "Memorandum" joined to this letter, on a particular bit of paper: ] My wife, for above a year past, is acquainted with your works done on paper by the scissors; works that fill the female fingers with despair, the female heart with desire to possess for itself a few specimens. Can you kindly think of this,

some after-dinner?

T. C.

not good for much, - hardly one or two by persons of any note or singularity, whom you are not already acquainted with, so far as handwriting can bring acquaintance: such were those now fallen aside, such are these now sent; if they yield you a moment's amusement in your solitude, and kindly bring you in mind of a friendly hand far away, they will do all the function they are fit for. About a fortnight ago I despatched, without any letter enclosed, a volume I have been publishing lately, Biography of a deceased Friend of mine. This also I hope you have got, or will soon get, and may derive a little pleasure from. It will give you a kind of glimpse into modern English life; and may suggest reflections and considerations which, to a human reader like yourself, are not without value. I wrote it last summer when we were all in Babel uproar with the gathering of jubilant Windbeutelm from thing they called “Crystal Palace,” — such

a

all the four corners of the world as was never let loose on our poor city before ! in which sad circumstances all serious study was as good as impossible; and, not resolve on doing something that did not to go quite out of patience, one had to need study. Thank the gods, we are now rid of that loud delirium, of street cabs, stump-oratory, and general Hallelujah to what I used to call the "Wind-dust-ry of the Prince of the Power of the Air,all Nations";-and may the angry Fates never send the like of it again in my time!

Chelsea: Octr. 29, 1851. MY DEAR SIR, - Mr. Neuberg inti- What my next task is to be? That is mated to me, the other night, that he is the question! If I were a brave Prussian, about returning to Germany, probably to I believe I should forthwith attempt some Berlin among other places, and that he Picture of Friedrich the Great, the last will take charge of any packet of "Auto- real king that we have had in Europe, graphs" or other small ware, which I may a long way till the next, I fear—and nothhave to send you. By way of acknowl-ing but sordid loud anarchy till the next. edgment for your great kindness to Neuberg, if not for infinitely more solid reasons, I ought to rouse myself, and constitute him my messenger on this occasion! He is deeply sensible of your goodness to him; and surely so am I, to whom it is not the first nor the hundredand-first example of your disposition in that respect. Many thanks I give you always, whether I express them in words or do not at all express them. This I believe you know; and so we need not say more of it at present.

There were other letters I had laid up for you; which seem, in some household earthquake, to have been destroyed, at least they are undiscoverable now when I search for them: but by the present sample I think you will infer that they were

But I am English, admonished towards England; -and Friedrich, too, is sure enough to be known in time without aid of mine. And so I remain in suspense; have however got Preuss' big book, and decide to read that again very soon. I am much at a loss for maps and good topographies on that subject: if you could select me a very recommendable name or two, it might be of real help. We have huge map-dealers here, a wilderness of wares; and can get any German thing at once, if we will know which. Item, I have been reading again (for curiosity merely) about Catharine II.:-you who know Russian might guide me a little there too. Catharine is a most remarkable woman; and we are to remember that, if she had been a man (as Francis I.,