TC TO CHARLES BUTLER ; 19 August 1856; DOI: 10.1215/lt-18560819-TC-CBU-01; CL 31: e1-e2
TC TO CHARLES BUTLER
The Gill, Cummertrees, Annan N.B. 19 Augt 1856—
My dear Sir,
I yesterday received here your Draught of Fourteen Pounds (New York, Augt 4), the Interest of the Bond you are kind enough to manage for me;1 and I can only again thank you for your friendly and most successful pains in that particular.—My new monies for investment do not yet come in, for about a year:2 when they do, I shall certainly bethink me of the indications you give, and of your kind offer to take farther trouble for me.
Alas,3 I can too well understand what a blank of utter sorrow and desolation that sad loss4 must have left in your Household, and in the heart of everybody there. Your one Son, and such a Son, cut off in the flower of his days; so many high hopes, for himself and others, suddenly abolished forever! It is hard for flesh and blood:—and yet it must be borne; there is no relief from that; and all Wisdom, out of all ages, bids us say, “Good is the will of the Lord,”5—tho' that is so hard to do.
You do well not to slacken in your labour; to keep doing, so long as the day is, the duty of the day. I know no other remedy so sure of ultimately helping in all sorrows whatsoever. Let us work while it is called Today.6 In a very little while we too shall follow into the silent Kingdoms the Loved Ones that have already gone; and one divine Eternity will hold us all again,—as God may have appointed for them and for us. Surely He will have appointed Well!—I will say no more on this sad subject; upon which you feel at present all speech to be nearly idle.7
I have come out hither to a little quiet nook in my native region; for a six weeks of country regimen, of absolute seclusion and silence especially,—in the hope of bracing me a little for hard labour, and in quantity, now lying ahead of me not far off. I am visibly improving in these 3 weeks; hope to have still another 3 before returning home.8
Believe me always, dear Sir,
Most sincerely yours /
T. Carlyle
Charles Butler Esq &c &c
Wall Street, New York
