Duke University Press Publishes Final Volume of The Collected Letters of Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle
June 06, 2023
Durham, NC, USA – Duke University Press is thrilled to announce the publication of the concluding volume of The Collected Letters of Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle. Volume 50 is now available, offering a treasure trove of correspondence for scholars and enthusiasts fascinated by the lives and writings of the Carlyles.
Beginning with the first four volumes, published in 1970, this extraordinary collection has provided a captivating glimpse into the lives of Thomas Carlyle, the renowned Scottish writer and historian, and his wife, Jane Welsh Carlyle, one of history's great letter writers. Their home became a hub for a diverse circle of intellectuals, including radicals, revolutionaries, feminists, and writers from both sides of the Atlantic. The series has since been hailed as one of the most comprehensive and remarkable literary archives of the nineteenth century.
"Thomas Carlyle coined the expression 'Natural Supernaturalism' to describe the miraculous aspect of everyday life. In a variety of ways, the term aptly describes the phenomenon of the Carlyles themselves: two fiercely proud Scottish outsiders, without wealth, privilege, family, or advantage, who through the sheer strength of their intelligence, wit, originality, and conversation established an intellectual nucleus in a shabby and neglected corner of London that soon became the coveted destination of poets, painters, novelists, philosophers, politicians, aristocrats, economists, revolutionaries, and curiosity seekers from all corners of the planet," said senior editor David R. Sorensen.
Sorensen adds, "The Carlyles were celebrities who ridiculed and disdained the very notion of fame and notoriety, yet as the Duke-Edinburgh edition of the Collected Letters amply and gloriously testifies, they could not escape from the dizzying moral and spiritual impact that they exerted on the Victorian age.”
Senior editor Ian Campbell states, "The Carlyle Letters uniquely give a detailed picture of two important Victorians but also of the transition from early nineteenth-century Scotland to literary London, vividly illustrating the constant interplay between the two through the interchange to and from home, to and from Europe and the USA. This invaluable web of vivid detail illuminates the life-experience of both Carlyles."
Brent Kinser, editor, expressed his admiration for the monumental effort behind the project, stating, "It has been, as Carlyle phrased it, a 'gleam of Time between two eternities.' The successful completion of the final print volume of The Collected Letters of Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle is a scholarly achievement that will stand unmatched for years to come. We are immensely proud of the dedication and persistence exhibited by the Duke-Edinburgh team of editors and the staff and leadership at Duke University Press."
“Starting with the National Endowment of the Humanities, the number of people to be thanked is innumerable; and with an ongoing commitment to The Carlyle Letters Online, the project has ensured the Carlyles’ enduring presence in nineteenth-century studies for a long time yet to come," Kinser adds.
Volume 50 encompasses the period from December 1875 to February 1881, spanning the years following Jane's passing and concluding with Thomas Carlyle's death. In its pages, readers will discover 80 letters dictated by Thomas Carlyle, and another 23 written by his niece Mary Aitken Carlyle and nephew Alexander Carlyle, including a poignant final letter composed by the latter, detailing the events surrounding TC's death and funeral.
Dean Smith, Director of Duke University Press, acknowledged the achievement, saying, "The completion of this monumental undertaking is not only a remarkable feat for literary studies but also a profound contribution to our understanding of Victorian culture and society. We are honored to have published this indispensable collection and extend our deepest gratitude to the many editors and contributors who devoted themselves to this project."
The Collected Letters of Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle has garnered immense praise from scholars and critics since the release of the first volumes over five decades ago. With the culmination of this noteworthy print series, readers can now access an unparalleled archive of letters that illuminate the lives and literary contributions of these esteemed figures from the nineteenth century.
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Duke University Press is a nonprofit scholarly publisher with a focus on the humanities, the social sciences, and mathematics. The Press publishes approximately 140 books annually and over 60 journals. It also offers several electronic collections and open-access publishing initiatives.
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