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Past and Present
Hardcover
PhilosophyLiterary CriticismBritish History
ISBN13: 9781025895048
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 326
Weight: 1.39
Height: 0.75 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Past and Present is a seminal work of social criticism by Thomas Carlyle, reflecting on the profound transformations and moral crises of mid-nineteenth-century Britain. Through a compelling comparison between the orderly, communal life of a medieval monastery and the chaotic, impersonal machinery of the Industrial Revolution, Carlyle critiques the spiritual vacuum left by laissez-faire capitalism. He introduces the Condition of England question, addressing the growing divide between wealth and poverty and the loss of human connection in the modern era.
Carlyle's prose is both prophetic and urgent, advocating for a new kind of Aristocracy of Talent and emphasizing the inherent dignity of labor. The text explores themes of heroism, leadership, and the necessity of spiritual revitalization in a materialistic age. By contrasting the 12th-century chronicle of Abbot Samson with the social unrest of the 1840s, Past and Present offers a powerful meditation on history, governance, and the ethical foundations of society. This work remains a cornerstone of Victorian thought, influencing generations of writers, reformers, and philosophers with its passionate call for social justice and purposeful work.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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