arlyle, was not executed at
the time: and some how or other was not again talked of till 1855 when
the Estate was to be sold from us. I was told however by the Lawyers,
etc., that it was better not to interfere while that Business was
going on. So the Scheme went to sleep again till 1872, when, Carlyle
renewing the subject in some Letter, I applied to the Agent of the
Estate who was willing to help us in getting permission to erect the
Stone, and to a neighbouring Mason to fashion it as Carlyle desired.
We had some difficulty in this latter point, but at last all was
settled, when suddenly Agent and Lawyer informed us the thing must not
be done--for one reason, that Stone and Inscription were considered
too plain.'

Before the excavations were begun, however, FitzGerald received the
following letter of instructions from Carlyle, written three days after
their interview.

CHELSEA, 18 _Sept_., 1842.

MY DEAR SIR,

Profiting by the unexpected fact that _you_ are now master of Naseby
Battlefield, I have gone over the whole matter once more, probably for
the twentieth time; I have copied you my illegible pencil-notes, and re-
verified everything,--that so, if you can understand the meaning (which
will be difficult, I fear), you may append to it what commentary,
collected on the spot, you may judge edifying. Let me, however, again
impress upon you that these statements and descriptions are actual
_facts_, gathered with industry from some seven or eight eyewitnesses,
looking at the business with their own eyes from seven or eight different
sides; that the present figure of the ground, in my recollection,
corresponds very tolerably well with the whole of them;--and that no
'theory,' by what Professor soever, can be of any use to me in
comparison. I wish you had Sprigge's complete Plan of the Battle: but
you have it not; you have only that foolish Parson's {128} very dim copy
of it, and must help yourself with that.

The things I wish you to give me are first: The whole story of your
Blacksmith, or other oral Chronicler, be it wise and credible, be it
absurd and evidently false. Then you can ask, whether there remains any
tradition of a windmill at Naseby? One stands in the Plan, not far from
North of the village, probably some 300 yards to the west of where the
ass of a column now stands: the whole concern, of fighting, rallying,
flying, killing and chasing, transacted itself to the