Past and Present: Thomas Carlyle's Collected Works, Vol. XIII.Carlyle, Thomas
Philosophy
Past and Present: Thomas Carlyle's Collected Works, Vol. XIII.
Carlyle, Thomas
Great Britain -- Social conditions -- 19th century; Social problems
It is all work and forgotten work, this peopled, clothed,
articulate-speaking, high-towered, wide-acred World. The hands of
forgotten brave men have made it a World for us; they,--honour to
them; they, in _spite_ of the idle and the dastard. This English
Land, here and now, is the summary of what was found of wise, and
noble, and accordant with God's Truth, in all the generations of
English Men. Our English Speech is speakable because there were
Hero-Poets of our blood and lineage; speakable in proportion to the
number of these. This Land of England has its conquerors, possessors,
which change from epoch to epoch, from day to day; but its real
conquerors, creators, and eternal proprietors are these following, and
their representatives if you can find them: All the Heroic Souls that
ever were in England, each in their degree; all the men that ever cut
a thistle, drained a puddle out of England, contrived a wise scheme in
England, did or said a true and valiant thing in England. I tell thee,
they had not a hammer to begin with; and yet Wren built St. Paul's:
not an articulated syllable; and yet there have come English
Literatures, Elizabethan Literatures, Satanic-School, Cockney-School,
and other Literatures;--once more, as in the old time of the
_Leitourgia_, a most waste imbroglio, and world-wide jungle and
jumble; waiting terribly to be 'well-edited' and 'well-burnt'! Arachne
started with forefinger and thumb, and had not even a distaff; yet
thou seest Manchester, and Cotton Cloth, which will shelter naked
backs, at twopence an ell.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account