Last words of Thomas Carlyle - Warburg Institute

WOTTON REINFRED 21education to uufold the universe to him in itsmost chaotic aspect. What with history and fiction,what with philosophy and feeling, it was a wondrousNowhere that his spirit dwelt in : all stood before himin indistinct detached gigantic masses ; a country ofdesire and terror ; baseless, boundless ; overspreadwith dusky or black shadows, yet glowing here andthere in maddening light. To all this, moreover,the exasperating influence of solitude was superadded; in fact, Wotton's manner of existence waslittle less secluded than ever ; for though the persecutionsof hisschoolfellows had gradually died awayas he grew more able to resist them, his originallybackward temper had nowise been improved by sucli^treatment. Indeed, a keen and painful feeling ofhis own weakness, added to a certain gloomy consciousnessof his real intrinsic superiority, renderedhim at once suspicious and contemptuous of others. ^Besides, in the conversation of his equals he trulyfelt little sympathy; their speculations were of farmore earthy matters than his ; and in their amusements,too often riotous and libertine, his principleforbade him to participate.Only with the little knotof his countrymen, in the narrowest sense of thatword, did he stand in any sort of relation ;and evenof these he often felt as if their intercourse wereinjuring him and should be abandoned, as if theirimpure influences were contaminating and seducinghim. Contaminate him they did, but seduce him