Dr. John Aitken Carlyle

Chronology

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Early Days

Becoming a Doctor

Travelling Physician

The Lady Clare Years

The Buccleuchs

The Irish Patient

Translating Dante

Marriage and Tragedy

The Later Years

Criminal Conversations

Chronology

References 

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Jane Welsh Carlyle

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1801

Born Ecclefechan, 7 July.

1817

Letters re Mother’s breakdown.

1820

Teaches maths, Annan Academy.

1822

Moves to Edinburgh to study medicine.

Edinburgh digs with Thomas, 3 Moray St.

1823

Moves to 35 Bristo St.

1825

MD thesis: De Mentis Alienatione.

Visits Thomas at Hoddam Hill.

1826

Oct.: Stays night at Thornhill Inn with Thomas before marriage at Templand.

Visits Comely Bank.

1827

Comely Bank. Leaves Sept. for

Postgraduate studies: arrives in Germany – Leyden, The Hague, Cologne. Classes Munich, Oct.

1828

Feb meets Schlegel twice.

Still in Germany, Nov.

Nov to Vienna for six months

Fraser commissions article

1830

Returns from Germany to seek work in England.

Offered loans by Badams and Montagus.

Attends dying Hazlitt.

1831

Jeffrey finds him post.

Takes Sartor around publishers.

Travelling Physician: with Lady Clare, Dover-Paris , first wk Oct.

With Lady Clare, Italy, c7 years.

Nov. Turin, then Florence.

Dec arrives Rome.

First studies Dante.

1832

Jan –Father dies. TC and he take nothing from will.

Naples.

£45 to Alec, £43.10 to Jeffrey.

Sends £100 to TC – free of debt.

1833

June home.

2/12 Craigenputtoch. Reads Italian (Ariosto) with Jane. Gives her a notebook.

Annan -L’pool steamer.

Aug with  Lady Clare to London, Milan, Rome

Repeatedly offers to pay for publication of Sartor.

1834

Vesuvius explosion. Keeps journal, now in National Library Scotland.

Thunderbolt strikes his house in Naples. 

Sept.: sends mother £130.

1835

Jane usually writes with TC.

Helps consumptive Russian Princess to die

1836

Returns Cheyne Row mid-April, 3/12 leave.

Thinks of practice in Rome.

Tells Jane she should be active.

In Geneva with Lady C.

1837

In Rome –treats cholera patients gratis

Returns to England

1838

Late Aug –still in Italy

Returns via Alps and Paris, leaves Lady    C .Sep. She wants him back. Oct. in Scotland, Templand. Nov: Brighton.

With Buccleuch family to Europe as physician.

Leaves Dover 30 Nov.

1839

Returns to London from Italy with Buccleuchs, July

Autumn Scotbrig.

1840

Dublin Feb. Becomes Dr to William Ogilvie.

£500pa and expenses.

Has gray hairs!

June, Oban and Scottish tour with patient.

Nov: roaming on SW coast.

1841

Jan. Chelsea. With Ogilvie in London

March; arm in sling ‘black spot.’

June with patient in London: £1000 p.a.

Consults phrenologist.

1842

Ends with Ogilvie. One other private patient?

Jane suspects JAC attracted to Jeannie Welsh.

Geraldine Jewsbury flirts with him.

1843

Sees Alick leaves from Annan – emigrating.

April in Cheyne Row when Past and Present published.

Lady Clare wants him back to Italy – declines.

Offered post with Lady Holland – TC advises against

Upsets Jane again.

1843

Lodgings Chelsea London near Thomas and Jane

1844

Feb: gives evidence as medical witness in William Fraser Criminal Conversation case.

Rushing about; reading mss in Br Museum

No thought of work.

Summer Scotbrig, still there Dec.

1845

2-3 wks Gill, Dumfriesshire early  summer.

Aug – checking Cromwell proofs for TC.

Idle, no plans.

1847

Chelsea Dines with TC every Sunday.

Reading.  Hair grayer!

Diagnoses Jane ‘throat tumour.’

1849

Publishes Dante’s Inferno, prose translation.

In Leamington seeking medical work.

Treats Jane’s headaches.

Jane teases him about Neuberg’s sister.

1852

Marries Phoebe Elizabeth Hough Fowler Watts. 2.11.52

Rent Moffat house.

1853

In Chelsea Jan 2/52 w Phoebe.

Moffat House. Jane visits.

Mother dies, Dec.

1854

Jan.: Moffat House. Writes to Alex about Mother’s death.

Apr. Searching for house.

Leave Moffat in June.

July: digs in London.

Phoebe dies after childbirth; stillborn boy, 26/8.

TC encourages work on Purgatorio!

1855

At Scotbrig with 2 boys, June and July.

To Hamburg via Scotbrig, Leith. Visits old friend, sees oldest boy to school, Hamburg.

April: Surgery Edinburgh for anal fistula – James Syme.

Sees off other stepson to sea.

1856

Chelsea, Oct.

1857

8/12 Scotbrig.

Jan London, disposing of shares in a ship.

Aug selling off bequeathed libraries at Chester.

1858

June Annandale with some of his boys.

Consulted by TC abt Jane’s pains.

1859

Dante Inferno translation published.

Summer digs in Edinburgh. Often visits TC in Aberdour.

1861

Edits Irving, History of Scottish Poetry.

Writes glossary.

With TC proposes to give Alex’s son Tom £250 for a farm. Lives mainly in Edinburgh this year and next.

1863

‘the new house’ – The Hill Dumfries. Now lives there with Aitken family. 

1864

Tells Jane her complaints due to lack of employment.

Jane ill. JAC quarrels with her on way to Scotland.

1865

Sends £100 to Tom at Brandford ‘to get an education.’

1866

Jane dies, takes TC from Scotsbrig to London.

Edinburgh 12/4 for Rectorial Address by TC.

In Jersey, marriage of Wm Watt, stepson  With TC most of the summer. Returns to Scotland.

1867

Dante –2nd Revised Edition.

March. In Chelsea when TC returns from Menton.

1870

TC at The Hill some six weeks – Aug-Sept.

1871

Edinburgh first six weeks. 

Dumfries –books and solitary walks, little company.

Dec. Jean’s son, James, killed in London bus accident. TC at The Hill then

1872

Visits France

S coast of Devon – Lady Ashburton’s cottage with TC.

In London w TC, then Dumfries.

Arguments with Thomas about Mary Aitken.

1873

Edinburgh 1872 Xmas and 1873 N Yr

Popular, dines out almost daily. Stays all Jan.

Honorary degree from Edinburgh

1875

Has colds Mary A also ill.

1878

£1600 to Edinburgh University for bursaries.

Health deteriorates.

1879

Dies, The Hill, Dumfries, 15 September. Estate £25,633

1882

Dante Inferno, 3rd Edition.

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