[936]. As an out-and-out Scottite and Carlylian, I would respectfully deprecate hasty judgment of this. It is a crux ansata, and you may easily get hold of the wrong handle.
[937]. “O people of Paraguay! how long will you continue idiots?” If a casual half-breed really thus put politics and life in a nut-shell, he was certainly somebody.
[938]. The different paging of the different editions makes it useless to give exact references. Nor are they wanted; for the “Contents” and Indices of Carlyle’s works are ideal.
[939]. Had he been reading Vico?
[940]. Since the text was written, a full collection of his literary criticism with many anepecdota, has appeared in Messrs Macmillan’s new edition.
[941]. Edinburgh, 1899, p. 59.
[942]. Ibid., note. p. 10.
[943]. It is all the more remarkable that the writer was “not the first comer.” He was, I believe, William Smith, the author of Thorndale and other books much prized by good judges, a man of great talents, wide reading, and admirable character.
[944]. My copy is the 2nd ed. Mr W. G. Clark’s preface to the 1st is dated “Ap. 1858,” rather less than a year after Brimley’s death.
[945]. Cf. Chesterfield’s profound remark to Mme. de Mauconseil, on Christmas Day 1755: Il me semble que le mal physique attendrit autant que le mal moral endurcit le cœur.