thumb|'Froude besmirching Carlyle', illustration from Punch's Almanac, 31 December 1881 Carlyle had entrusted his papers to the care of James Anthony Froude after his death but was unclear about the permissions granted to him. Froude edited and published the Reminiscences in 1881, which sparked controversy due to Froude's failure to excise comments that might offend living persons, as was common practice at the time. The book damaged Carlyle's reputation, as did the following Letters and Memorials of Jane Welsh Carlyle and the four-volume biography of life as written by Froude. The image that Froude presented of Carlyle and his marriage was highly negative, prompting new editions of the Reminiscences and the letters by Charles Eliot Norton and Alexander Carlyle (husband of Carlyle's niece), who argued that, among other things, Froude had mishandled the materials entrusted to him in a deliberate and dishonest manner. This argument overshadowed Carlyle's work for decades. Owen Dudley Edwards remarked that by the turn of the century, "Carlyle was known more than read". As Campbell describes:The effect of Froude’s work in the years following Carlyle’s death was extraordinary. Almost overnight, it seemed, Carlyle plunged from his position as Sage of Chelsea and Grand Old Victorian to the object of puzzled dislike, or even of revulsion.
thumb|'froude besmirching carlyle' illustration from punch's almanac 31 december 1881 carlyle had entrusted his papers to the care of james anthony froude after his death but was unclear about the permissions granted to him froude edited and published the reminiscences in 1881 which sparked controversy due to froude's failure to excise comments that might offend living persons as was common practice at the time the book damaged carlyle's reputation as did the following letters and memorials of jane welsh carlyle and the four-volume biography of life as written by froude the image that froude presented of carlyle and his marriage was highly negative prompting new editions of the reminiscences and the letters by charles eliot norton and alexander carlyle (husband of carlyle's niece) who argued that among other things froude had mishandled the materials entrusted to him in a deliberate and dishonest manner this argument overshadowed carlyle's work for decades owen dudley edwards remarked that by the turn of the century "carlyle was known more than read" as campbell describesthe effect of froude’s work in the years following carlyle’s death was extraordinary almost overnight it seemed carlyle plunged from his position as sage of chelsea and grand old victorian to the object of puzzled dislike or even of revulsion