We may say that, for many reasons, it is to be regretted that this
design was never carried into execution. Had Carlyle witnessed with
his own eyes the admirable working of democratic institutions in the
United States, he might have done more justice to our Transatlantic
brethren, who were always his first and foremost admirers, and he
might also have acquired more faith in the future destinies of his own
countrymen.

In December, 1837, Carlyle wrote a very remarkable letter to a
correspondent in India, which has never been printed in his works,
and which we are enabled to give here entire. It is addressed to Major
David Lester Richardson, in acknowledgment of his "Literary Leaves,
or Prose and Verse," published at Calcutta in 1836. These "Literary
Leaves" contain among other things an article on the Italian Opera
(taking much the same view of it as Carlyle does), and a sketch of
Edward Irving. These papers no doubt pleased Carlyle, and perhaps led
him to entertain a rather exaggeratedly high opinion of the rest of
the book.

THOMAS CARLYLE TO DAVID LESTER RICHARDSON.

"5, Cheyne Row, Chelsea, London,
"_19th December_, 1837.

"My DEAR SIR,

"Your courteous gift, with the letter accompanying it, reached me only
about a week ago, though dated 20th of June, almost at the opposite
point of the year. Whether there has been undue delay or not is
unknown to me, but at any rate on my side there ought to be no delay.

"I have read your volume--what little of it was known to me before,
and the much that was not known--I can say, with true pleasure. It
is written, as few volumes in these days are, with fidelity, with
successful care, with insight and conviction as to matter, with
clearness and graceful precision as to manner: in a word, it is the
impress of a mind stored with elegant accomplishments, gifted with
an eye to see, and a heart to understand; a welcome, altogether
recommendable book. More than once I have said to myself and others,
How many parlour firesides are there this winter in England, at which
this volume, could one give credible announcement of its quality,
would be right pleasant company? There are very many, _could_ one give
the announcement: but no such announcement _can_ be given; therefore
the parlour firesides must even put up with ---- or what other stuff
chance shovels in their way, and read, though with malediction all the
time. It is a great pity, but no man can help it. We are now arriv