For the first time he applied his peculiar system of ideas to contemporary politics.

_Chartism_ appeared in 1839; _Past and Present_, which does the same thing as _Chartism_ in an artistic form, three years later.

They were followed by one other book--_Latter Day Pamphlets_--addressed particularly to contemporary conditions, and by two remarkable and voluminous historical works.

Then came the death of his wife, and for the last fifteen years of his life silence, broken only briefly and at rare intervals.
The reader who comes to Carlyle with preconceived notions based on what he has heard of the subject-matter of his books is certain to be surprised by what he finds.

There are histories in the canon of his works and pamphlets on contemporary problems, but they are composed on a plan that no other historian and no other social reformer would own.