Last words of Thomas Carlyle - Warburg Institute

'WOTTON REINFRED 91' Surely, my good Anne,' said Williams, you mean*not as you sing ; these dismal quatrains are fitter fora likewake than to greet so fair a banquet, amid sunshineand roses, and plenty of brave young gallants toboot !*Women go by the rule of contraries,' answeredthe lady, with a smile, but rather of concealment than*of gladness. Do you know,' added she, ' I havework within doors, and must beg the fair banquet'spardon, sunshine and roses and brave gallants, youngcried she, tripping through the bushes towards thehouse, and making signs that she was not to be followed.'A strange young lady,' said Burridge, and'or old, notwithstanding. My blessing with you all ! 'more full of crotchets than ever.''But did you like her song ? inquired Dorothy.'*Was it not in the spirit of your own bitter creed,cousin ? Why the rhymer may have meant not illthe spu'it as you say was willing but the flesh wasweak. There is no pith in this balladmonger ; hiswires are slack and have a husky jingle. Besides, Idoubt he is an imitator.''Neither is the spu'it of his verse unexceptionable,'*said Williams. His is a conclusion in which nothingemphatically is concluded, save perhaps our old friendthe bag of arsenic, Frank ! Eeally one tires of yourdeath's head when it grins at one too long. Thissweet singer, as you hint, isB3^ron.'but a faint echo of Lord*Say rather of the general tone of our time,';