The Present Time

In The Present Time, Carlyle takes aim at modernity. This essay was, even in its time, seen as so blistering that the Southern Literary Messenger described its contents as "purely monstrous, and the most elaborate argument would not place their monstrosity more clearly before the reader, than the simple enunciation of them." We present it here with another of Carlyle's essays.

Key Themes and Essays:

• The Present Time:
  A scathing critique of modernity, regarded as both provocative and deeply challenging, even in its own era.
• The Modern Worker:
  Carlyle grants the worker his essential nobility while delivering a savage critique of laissez-faire economics.
  • He merges his anti-capitalist stance with the critique of modernity explored in The Present Time.
  • Carlyle argues that any system man places himself under must conform to "a set of conditions already voted for, and fixed with adamantine rigour by the ancient Elemental Powers."

Additional Features:

• Comprehensive Glossary of Terms:
  Known for his coinages and obscure references, Carlyle's works can be dense. This volume includes a detailed glossary, ensuring readers can fully grasp the insights of this titanic intellect.

For many readers, this will be the first time they truly understand the depth and power of Carlyle's ideas.