Past and Present

Past and Present is a historical and philosophical work by Thomas Carlyle, originally published in 1843. The book is divided into two parts, the first exploring the history of the Middle Ages and the second examining contemporary Victorian society. In the first part, Carlyle presents a vivid and romanticized picture of medieval life, praising the virtues of chivalry, feudalism, and the Catholic Church. He argues that the Middle Ages were a time of great heroes and noble ideals, and that modern society has lost touch with these values.In the second part, Carlyle turns his attention to the social and political issues of his own time. He criticizes the rise of industrial capitalism and the resulting alienation of workers from their labor, as well as the corruption and hypocrisy of Victorian politics. He calls for a return to a more communal and spiritual way of life, in which individuals are connected to their communities and to a higher sense of purpose.Throughout the book, Carlyle's writing is characterized by his distinctive style, which combines historical detail with passionate rhetoric and vivid imagery. Past and Present remains a significant work in the history of both literature and social thought, and continues to be studied and debated by scholars today.1909. Should humanity look backward to the past and try to recover the notion of goodness that seems to be lost or should humanity look forward and to the present to create a new enlightenment and spiritual prosperity? These are the mighty questions this book answers.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.