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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Thomas Carlyle
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(1795–1881) Scottish essayist and historian who in his time had a major reputation as a sage, similar to that of *Ruskin in the next generation. In 1826 he married Jane Welsh (1801–66) and in 1834 they moved to London, becoming part of the artistic world of *Chelsea; their house, 24 Cheyne Row, is kept as a museum with many of their possessions still in it. Carlyle's major work (The French Revolution 3 vols, 1837) suffered a famous disaster when the manuscript of the first volume was thrown on the fire by John Stuart *Mill's maid; Carlyle cheerfully rewrote it. On Heroes, Hero-Worship, & the Heroic in History (1841) developed his favourite theme, that society needs strong charismatic leaders. One of his most fruitful legacies has been the *London Library.
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