Thomas Carlyle

by G.K. Chesterton

Evaluate the pre-eminent 19th century literature from the perspective of 20th century standards. ILLUS. THIS TITLE IS CITED AND RECOMMENDED Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature.

40 pages, Library Binding

First published May 1, 1902

About the author

Gilbert Keith Chesterton was an English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic.

He was educated at St. Paul’s, and went to art school at University College London. In 1900, he was asked to contribute a few magazine articles on art criticism, and went on to become one of the most prolific writers of all time. He wrote a hundred books, contributions to 200 more, hundreds of poems, including the epic Ballad of the White Horse, five plays, five novels, and some two hundred short stories, including a popular series featuring the priest-detective, Father Brown. In spite of his literary accomplishments, he considered himself primarily a journalist. He wrote over 4000 newspaper essays, including 30 years worth of weekly columns for the Illustrated London News, and 13 years of weekly columns for the Daily News. He also edited his own newspaper, G.K.’s Weekly.

Chesterton was equally at ease with literary and social criticism, history, politics, economics, philosophy, and theology.

Reviews

[James Dempsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shrewd analysis of Carlyle’s theory of the hero. Chesterton labours to dispel many of the myths which surround or presuppose this theory, and he attempts to detach, somewhat curiously, Carlyle the man from Carlyle in theory. At times the two are not in harmony, but this is reasoned as being due to the personal force and passion of Carlyle’s own character, who’s violent expression at times can distract from that which he is attempting to eve t, his ideas.

Very readable work, and I enjoy that it opens with reference to the ‘History of Rationalism’ from Lecky.