SD1179. Thomas Carlyle to Ralph Waldo Emerson

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 6, 369 (in part).

Chelsea, London

29 August, 1842–

My dear Emerson,

This morning your new Letter, of the 15th August, has arrived; exactly one fortnight old: thanks to the gods and steam-demons! …

The good Alcott and I have prospered, I am afraid, almost as ill as it was possible for two honest men kindly affected towards one another to do. How much he understands about me I know not; but what, how much or how little I understand about him, he knows still less. The third time we met, little Browning Paracelsus was here, a neat dainty little fellow, speaking in the Cockney quiz-dialect; to whom poor Alcott’s vegetable-diet concern was as ridiculous as it could be to most. They did not prosper together; I walked up to town with them, and still no prosperity: Browning at length went away; and then the exasperated Sage did speak, and when we two came to part, answered my, “When shall I see you again?” by a solemn “Never, I guess!” It was really too ridiculous: however, there was no help; and I have not seen him again; nor, as I never could learn his address, does any remedy seem possible. …

Publication: Carlyle, 15, 56–59.

Manuscript: RWEMA.

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