of booksellers' accounts which he has had in keeping now
--for years, I believe. He told me that he hopes at no distant
day to have a house of his own,--he and his wife are always at
board,--and, whenever that happens, he intends to devote a
chamber in it to his "Illustrations of Mr. Carlyle's Writings,"
which, I believe, I have told you before, are a very large and
extraordinary collection of prints, pictures, books, and
manuscripts. I sent you the promised Daguerrotype with all
unwillingness, by the steamer, I think of 16 June. On 1 August,
Margaret Fuller goes to England and the Continent; and I shall
not fail to write to you by her, and you must not fail to give a
good and faithful interview to this wise, sincere, accomplished,
and most entertaining of women. I wish to bespeak Jane Carlyle's
friendliest ear to one of the noblest of women. We shall send
you no other such.

I was lately inquired of again by an agent of a huge Boston
society of young men, whether Mr. Carlyle would not come to
America and read Lectures, on some terms which they could
propose. I advised them to make him an offer, and a better one
than they had in view. Joy and Peace to you in your new freedom.

--R.W.E.

CXIV. Carlyle to Emerson

Chelsea, 17 July, 1846

Dear Emerson,--Since I wrote last to you, I think, with the
Wiley-and-Putnam Covenant enclosed,--the Photograph, after some
days of loitering at the Liverpool Custom-house, came safe to
hand. Many thanks to you for this punctuality: this poor
Shadow, it is all you could do at present in that matter!
But it must not rest there, no. This Image is altogether
unsatisfactory, illusive, and even in some measure tragical
to me! First of all, it is a bad Photograph; no _eyes_
discernible, at least one of the eyes not, except in rare
favorable lights then, alas, Time itself and Oblivion must have
been busy. I could not at first, nor can I yet with perfect
decisiveness, bring out any feature completely recalling to
me the old Emerson, that lighted on us from the Blue, at
Craigenputtock, long ago,--_eheu!_ Here is a genial, smiling,
energetic face, full of sunny strength, intelligence, integrity,
good humor; but it lies imprisoned in baleful shades, as of the
valley of Death; seems smiling on me as if in mockery. "Dost
know me, friend? I am dead, thou seest, and distant, and forever
hidden from thee;--I belong already to the Eternities, and thou