ANECDOTE OF CARLYLE

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 1, 1877

ANECDOTE OF CARLYLE.

The curious and “troublesome” style of Carlyle is said to be quite in contrast with his simple, straightforward way of talking. Hatred of sham is one of his notable characteristics. One evening at a small literary gathering, a lady famous for her “muslin theology” was bewailing the wickedness of the Jews in not receiving our Saviour, and ended her diatribe by expressing regret that he had not appeared in our own time. “How delighted,” said she, “we would all be to throw our doors open to Him, and listen to his divine precepts! Don’t you think so, Mr. Carlyle?”

The sturdy philosopher, thus appealed to, said, in his broad Scotch:—

“No, madam, I don’t. I think that had he come very fashionably dressed, with plenty of money, and preached doctrines palatable to the higher orders, I might have had the honor of receiving from you a card of invitation, on the back of which would be written, ‘To MEET OUR SAVIOUR;’ but if he had come uttering his precepts, and denouncing the Pharisees, and associating with publicans and the lower orders, as he did, you would have treated him much as the Jews did, and have cried out, ‘Take him to Newgate and hang him.’”