Jane Welsh Carlyle

What Jane thought

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Introduction and Site Guide

Biography

What They Thought

Personality

HEALTH:

1 The Lady Harriet Years

On Edinburgh:

‘I could stand the dullness there but I can’t stand its narrowness, its paltriness, its self-conceit, and above all its religious cant.’ Letter to Mgt Oliphant, 26 4 61

On their health:

‘I am too like himself in some things – especially as to the state of our livers, and so we aggravate one another’s tendencies to despair.’ Letter to Helen Welsh, 19 8 46.

On Asylums and the Insane:

‘And the poor creatures are all so happy and there (sic) doctor such a good humane Man – that it does not at all produce the painful impression that Asylums of that sort usually do – I am going back for some days.’ After visiting Matthew Allen’s Asylum at Epping Forest. JWC to HW, 26 10 31

On diaries:

‘What could a poor fellow do with a wife who kept a journal but murder her?’ Quoting Charles Buller’s maxim.

On autobiography:

‘Looking back was not intended by nature….from the fact that our eyes are in our faces and not in our hind heads.’

On church-going:

‘My abstinence from public worship gives great scandal, but I would rather be scandalized than wearied to death.’ Letter to TC. 9 41.

To mother-in-law:

‘I am surprised that so good and sensible a woman as yourself should have brought up her son so badly that he should not know what patience and self-denial mean – merely observing “Thoust gey ill to deal wi’.” Gey ill indeed, and always the longer the worse.’ Letter to his mother, 5 6 52 – Carlyle recovering from an illness at the time.

On her charms:

‘This was one of those remarkable instances of fascination which I exercise over gentlemen of a “certain age.” Before I had spoken six words to him it was plain to the meanest capacity that he had fallen over head and ears in love with me.’ Letter to T.C. 7/7/43 on obtaining a new lease of the house for five years on very good terms from a Mr Morgan.