A SUNDAY IN CHEYNE ROW 237 



rank of life ; and there is nothing frightfuller than 

 to see these voting and deciding." If we "went 

 down to the roots of it," this statement is simply 

 untrue. "Democracy," he says, "is, by the nature 

 of it, a self-canceling business, and gives, in the 

 long run, a net result of ^ero." 



Because the law of gravitation is uncompromis- 

 ing, things are not, therefore, crushed in a wild 

 rush to the centre of attraction. The very traits 

 that make Carlyle so entertaining and effective as 

 a historian and biographer, namely, his fierce, man- 

 devouring eyes, make him impracticable in the 

 sphere of practical politics. 



Let me quote a long and characteristic passage 

 from Carlyle 's Latter- Day Pamphlets, one of dozens 

 of others, illustrating his misconception of universal 

 suffrage : — 



"Your ship cannot double Cape Horn by its 

 excellent plans of voting. The ship may vote this 

 and that, above decks and below, in the most har- 

 monious, exquisitely constitutional manner; the 

 ship, to get round Cape Horn, will find a set of 

 conditions already voted for and fixed with adaman- 

 tine rigor by the ancient Elemental Powers, who 

 are entirely careless how you vote. If you can, by 

 voting or without voting, ascertain these conditions, 

 and valiantly conform to them, you will get around 

 the Cape: if you cannot, the ruffian winds will 

 blow you ever back again; the inexorable Icebergs, 

 dumb privy- councilors from Chaos, will nudge you 

 with most chaotic * admonition ; ' you will be flung 



