Chelsea, 25 June, 1862. "Seekest thou great things, seek them not!" I could do no good with your "Tragedy," after never so much endeavour, it depends on Playhouse Managers, etc. etc.; - and is, I must say, likely to have been an unreasonable, tho' innocent attempt, on the part of a young man, inexperienced in Life, much more in the suitable ways of Delineating and Expounding what Life is and should be. 66 Forgive my plainness of Speech. But it is my standing advice to all young persons who trace in themselves a superior capacity of mind, to select, beyond all other conditions, a silent course of activity; and to disbelieve totally the babble of reviews and newspapers, and loud clamour of Nonsense everywhere prevalent, that Literature" (even if one were qualified) is the truly noble human career. Far other, very far! since you ask my opinion. The greatest minds I have known, or have authentically heard of, have not been the speaking ones at all,—much less in these loud times; raging with palaver, and with so little else, from sea to sea! In very great haste (wishing you well, not ill), T. Carlyle. |