Inscribed by Thomas Carlyle, for his niece on the front free endpaper: "To Mary Carlyle Aitken, my good little niece; Affectionately, T. Carlyle / Chelsea, 22 March, 1870". Mary Aitken had come to live with Carlyle in 1868, the year after the death of Carlyle's wife. Mary would also act as his personal secretary in his last years. A very nice memento of an important relationship in Carlyle's life.