directs his whole attention to the collection of his own cargo, without minding the concerns of his neighbour.  Having taken down what part of the rigging is removable, they set about their laborious calling, and must pursue it zealously.  Their mode of proceeding is thus described by Mr. Anspach, a clerical person, who lived in the island several years, and has since written a meagre and very confused book, which he calls a HISTORY of it.”

To the “New Edinburgh Review” (1821-22) Carlyle also contributed two papers—­one on Joanna Baillie’s “Metrical Legends,” and one on Goethe’s “Faust.”

In the year 1822 he made a translation of “Legendre’s Geometry,” to which he prefixed an Essay on Proportion; and the book appeared a year or two afterwards under the auspices of the late Sir David Brewster.[A] The Essay on Proportion remains to this day the most lucid and succinct exposition of the subject hitherto published.

[Footnote A:  “Elements of Geometry and Trigonometry,” with Notes.  Translated from the French of A.M.  Legendre.  Edited by David Brewster, LL.D.  With Notes and Additions, and an Introductory Chapter on Proportion.  Edinburgh:  published by Oliver and Boyd; and G. and W.B.  Whittaker, London. 1824, pp. xvi., 367.  Sir David Brewster’s Preface, in which he speaks of “an Introduction on Proportion, by the Translator,” is dated Edinburgh, August 1, 1822.]

“I was already,” says Carlyle in his Reminiscences, “getting my head a little up, translating ‘Legendre’s Geometry’ for Brewster.  I still remember a happy forenoon in which I did a Fifth Book (or complete ‘doctrine of proportion’) for that work, complete really and lucid, and yet one of the briefest ever known.  It was begun and done that forenoon, and I have (except correcting the press next week) never seen it since; but still I feel as if it were right enough and felicitous in its kind!  I only got L50 for my entire trouble in that ‘Legendre;’ but it was an honest job of work, honestly done."[A]

[Footnote A:  Reminiscences by Thomas Carlyle, Edited by James Anthony Froude.  London:  Longmans, Green and Co., 1881, Vol. 1., pp. 198-199.]

The late Professor de Morgan—­an excellent authority—­pronounced a high eulogium upon this Essay on Proportion.

In 1822 Carlyle accepted the post of tutor to Charles Buller, of whose early death and honourable promise, two touching records remain to us, one in verse by Thackeray, and one in prose by Carlyle.

For the next four years Carlyle devoted his attention almost exclusively to German literature.

His Life of Schiller first appeared under the title of “Schiller’s Life and Writings,” in the London Magazine.

  Part I.—­October, 1823. 
  Part II.—­January, 1824. 
  Part III.—­July, 1824.
        " August, 1824.
        " September, 1824.

It was enlarged, and separately published by Messrs. Taylor and Hessey, the proprietors of the Magazine, in 1825.