Thomas Carlyle quotes - page 20

Thomas Carlyle was a Scottish historian, philosopher, and essayist, renowned for his influential works on culture and society. His writings inspired debates on leadership, history, and the power of individuals. He became a leading figure in Victorian intellectual life and shaped the literary and philosophical discourse of his time. Here are 732 of his quotes:

I don't like to talk much with people who always agree with me. It is amusing to coquette with an echo for a little while, but one soon tires of it.

Thomas Carlyle

The greatest mistake is to imagine that we never err.

Thomas Carlyle

He that has done nothing has known nothing.

Thomas Carlyle

Humor is the finest perfection of poetic genius.

Thomas Carlyle

Skepticism means not intellectual doubt alone, But moral doubt.

Thomas Carlyle

Give me a man who sings at his work.

Thomas Carlyle

The heart always sees before than the head can see.

Thomas Carlyle

If time is precious, no book that will not improve by repeated reading deserves to be read at all.

Thomas Carlyle

Genius is 'the inspired gift of God.

Thomas Carlyle

Oh, if in this man, whose eyes can flash Heaven's lightning, and make all Calibans into a cramp, there dwelt not, as the essence of his very being, a God's justice, human Nobleness, Veracity and Mercy,-I should tremble for the world. But his strength, let us rejoice to understand, is even this: The quantity of Justice, of Valour and Pity that is in him. To hypocrites and tailored quacks in high places, his eyes are lightning; but they melt in dewy pity softer than a mother's to the downpressed, maltreated; in his heart, in his great thought, is a sanctuary for all the wretched.

Thomas Carlyle

Every pitifulest whipster that walks within a skin has had his head filled with the notion that he is, shall be, or by all human and divine laws ought to be, 'happy.

Thomas Carlyle

I warmly second the advice of the wisest of men-"Don't be ambitious; don't be at all too desirous to success; be loyal and modest."

Thomas Carlyle

America's battle is yet to fight; and we, sorrowful though nothing doubting, will wish her strength for it.

Thomas Carlyle

England, as I persuade myself, still contains in it many kings; possesses, as old Rome did, many men not needing "election" to command, but eternally elected for it by the Maker Himself. England's one hope is in these, just now. They are among the silent, I believe; mostly far away from platforms and public palaverings; not speaking forth the image of their nobleness in transitory words, but imprinting it, each on his own little section of the world, in silent facts, in modest valiant actions, that will endure forevermore. They must sit silent no longer. They are summoned to assert themselves; to act forth, and articulately vindicate, in the teeth of howling multitudes, of a world too justly maddened into all manner of delirious clamors, what of wisdom they derive from God.

Thomas Carlyle

But when this same way was a rough one, of battle, confusion and danger, the spiritual Captain, who led through that, becomes, especially to us who live under the fruit of his leading, more notable than any other.

Thomas Carlyle

She requires of a thing only that it be genuine of heart; she will protect it if so; will not, if not so. There is a soul of truth in all the things she ever gave harbor to.

Thomas Carlyle

In vain, while here on Earth, shall you endeavor to strip them off; you can, at best, but rend them asunder for moments, and look through.

Thomas Carlyle

These scenes, which the Morning Chronicle is bringing home to all minds of men,-thanks to it for a service such as Newspapers have seldom done,-ought to excite unspeakable reflections in every mind. Thirty thousand outcast Needlewomen working themselves swiftly to death; three million Paupers rotting in forced idleness, helping said Needlewomen to die: these are but items in the sad ledger of despair.

Thomas Carlyle

If the young aspirant is not rich enough for Parliament, and is deterred by the basilisks or otherwise from entering on Law or Church, and cannot altogether reduce his human intellect to the beaverish condition, or satisfy himself with the prospect of making money,-what becomes of him in such case, which is naturally the case of very many, and ever of more? In such case there remains but one outlet for him, and notably enough that too is a talking one: the outlet of Literature, of trying to write Books.

Thomas Carlyle

A Hero is a Hero at all points; in the soul and thought of him first of all.

Thomas Carlyle

And, truly, good consequences follow out of it: who can be blind to them? Half of a most excellent and opulent result is realized to us in this way; baleful only when it sets up (as too often now) for being the whole result.

Thomas Carlyle

But deepest of all illusory Appearances, for hiding Wonder, as for many other ends, are your two grand fundamental world-enveloping Appearances, SPACE and TIME.

Thomas Carlyle