20 AUGUST 1932, Page 14

CARLYLE AS A PROPHET

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In his essay on Count Cagliostro, probably published about a hundred years ago, Carlyle writes :

" With general economic distress in such a Period, there is usually conjoined the utmost decay of moral principle, indeed so universal is this conjunction many men have seen it to be a causation except that such have very generally . . . committed one sore mistake ; what is vulgarly called putting the cart before the horse."

I believe that Carlyle was held to be a great prophet. The present world conditions would appear to offer a fruitful field of speculation in this conjunction for the historian of our own times.—I am, Sir, &c.,

128 Grosvenor House, Park Street, W. 1. E. L. SIMON.