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APPENDIX C.
LETTERS FROM CARLYLE, THE HISTORIAN, AND EDWARD IRVING.
CRAIGENPUTTOCK, 18th July, 1829.
MY DEAR IRVING,— I write in very great haste, and to
write a favor must therefore proceed directly to business. Mr Andrew
Anderson, the youngest and now only British son (for the other two
are in India) of the Straquhan family, is setting out for Birmingham to
establish himself there as surgeon. He reckons that it would essentially
serve him to be introduced to Dr (John) Johnstone of Galabank, the chief
physician there. He has already seen Dr J., and been kindly
received by him, but only under the escort of some transient and merely
official acquaintance, and only in the character of an aspirant to medical
employment without further testimonial of any kind. I believe you knew Mr
Anderson’s brother. . . . Could you now, on the faith of my evidence,
testify to Dr Johnstone that our young adventurer is a person of the same
stamp. An honest, inoffensive, diligent, even amiable and praiseworthy
man, would be much assisted thereby, an old friend gratified, and a worthy
and much afflicted family cheered and obliged. As your whole knowledge
must be by hearsay, I am careful not to exaggerate Mr A.’s praises. What I
have stated may be repeated as mine in all situations without fear of
contradiction. A letter of this purport to Dr Johnstone, and sent under
cover to "A. Anderson, Esq., 68 High Street, Birmingham," would accomplish
all that is wanted. . . I have made no engagement for your performing the
kindness, except the assurance that you were at all times a warm-hearted,
helpful man, and delighted in nothing so much as in assisting all that
needed assistance. Had you seen the young man himself, or seen his mother
(one of the most estimable Scottish ladies and mothers I have ever seen,
and now widowed and sick, yet trusting meekly in a higher guidance), you
would rejoice to do this much for her sake, and far more.
And, now, I must leave the matter in your own hands,
for, as hinted above, I have not a minute to myself. I am scribbling
against time, and sore held back by many things, chiefly by natural
dulness.
We feel glad that we saw you here. Your presence, as it
always does, has brightened up our regard for you, and dissipated all
newspaper tarnish, if there ever was such. Even your errors of opinion (as
I must consider them) assume a respectable shape, errors of a good heart,
and a strong, though too luxuriant, intellect. We take you as you are, and
are very glad that we have you.
The bruit of your appearance is not yet dead in this
quarter, and the old grey crag still stands (where it has stood since the
deluge).
THOMAS CARLYLE.
To the Rev. EDWARD IRVING.
LONDON, 13 JUDD PLACE, EAST,
21st December, 1829.
MY DEAR AND HONOURED FRIEND,— If I be not
troublesome, I desire to introduce to you my young friend, Dr John
Carlyle, an Annandale man, the brother of the very ingenious man at whose
request I introduced Mr Anderson to you some time ago. Dr Carlyle is a
young man of excellent character and principles, great modesty, honesty,
and simplicity, well bred, and well learned in his profession, so far as I
am a judge. He has resided on the Continent, and in Germany, for some
years in the house of one of the chief men of the Bavarian Court as his
friend; but he has brought home with him the same Scottish character for
morals and principles with which he went out. He intends practising at
Warwick as a physician, and I err greatly if he will not prove a credit to
a profession which your father’s name has already raised to such a height
in these parts. I commend him to your kindness, and to that of my dear and
most kind friend, Mrs Johnstone. My respectful love to all your house, and
to your brother; and to your daughter and her husband, when you see them.
Your affectionate and faithful friend,
EDWARD IRVING.
To Dr JOHN JOHNSTONE,
Monument House.
