Thomas Carlyle is not one of my favourite authors. He is not somebody I read over and over repeatedly but he has exercised a dominant and beneficial influence over my life.
I remember when I was I my mid-twenties I was searching for a direction in my life. Or rather I was searching for strength to face the challenges that were confronting me. I had some mental handicaps and I had offended some powerful people who were harassing me. Darkness loomed all around and I could see no way forward except to seek guidance through my books and philosophy.
I was a member of the British Library and I had read a lot of Bertrand Russell. From these two sources I became aware of Thomas Carlyle and his book, Sartor Resartus. Reading the introduction I came across this sentence – Keep Carlyle in your pocket. He is not all the voices but he is the best maker of men I know.
This message was exactly what I needed at that time. I borrowed the book from the British library and I am ashamed to say that I pilfered it from there. I didn’t exactly steal the book. I borrowed the book and then went back and told them that I had lost it. They asked me to pay a sum of money which I did and that was that. Very nice of them.
There was no world wide web at that time and no credit cards. I probably could have asked the Strand Book stall to import the book for me. That’s what I should have done. My bad.
But the book delivered on its promise. It made a man out of me. Sartor Resartus is not easy reading. It is heavy philosophy and written in a unique style. Either you like the style or you don’t. I found it heavy going but still struggled through it till I found the passage I was looking for:
when, all at once, there rose a Thought in me, and I asked myself: ‘What art thou afraid of? Wherefore, like a coward, dost thou forever pip and whimper, and go cowering and trembling? Despicable biped! what is the sum-total of the worst that lies before thee? Death? Well, Death; and say the pangs of Tophet too, and all that the Devil and Man may, will or can do against thee! Hast thou not a heart; canst thou not suffer whatsoever it be; and, as a Child of Freedom, though outcast, trample Tophet itself under thy feet, while it consumes thee? Let it come, then; I will meet it and defy it!’ And as I so thought, there rushed like a stream of fire over my whole soul; and I shook base Fear away from me forever. I was strong, of unknown strength; a spirit, almost a god. Ever from that time, the temper of my misery was changed: not Fear or whining Sorrow was it, but Indignation and grim fire-eyed Defiance.
(The above passage was sourced from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1051/1051-h/1051-h.htm )
This passage was enough to give me guidance and change my attitude. I recommend Sartor Resartus to all young or desperate persons – boy or girl. It is heavy reading of course but try to get your teeth into it. It is worth your time and effort.
If that is too heavy for you then start with another of Carlyle’s book – On Heroes, Hero Worship and the Heroic in History. It is simple and clear in doctrine and contains through a series of brilliant character studies the fundamental ideas which make up Carlyle’s philosophy.
Carlyle’s works are available in the Public domain and you should also be able to get a free Kindle download of them. Just do a Google search. Happy reading.
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