Thomas Carlyle
Thomas Carlyle
Thomas Carlylewas a Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher. Considered one of the most important social commentators of his time, he presented many lectures during his lifetime with certain acclaim in the Victorian era. One of those conferences resulted in his famous work On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and The Heroic in History where he explains that the key role in history lies in the actions of the "Great Man", claiming that "History is nothing but the biography of the...
NationalityScottish
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth4 December 1795
A fair day's wages for a fair day's work.
Humor has justly been regarded as the finest perfection of poetic genius.
Sarcasm I now see to be, in general, the language of the devil; for which reason I have long since as good as renounced it.
But the whim we have of happiness is somewhat thus. By certain valuations, and averages, of our own striking, we come upon some sort of average terrestrial lot; this we fancy belongs to us by nature, and of indefeasible rights. It is simple payment of our wages, of our deserts; requires neither thanks nor complaint. Foolish soul! What act of legislature was there that thou shouldst be happy? A little while ago thou hadst no right to be at all.
Not our logical faculty, but our imaginative one is king over us. I might say, priest and prophet to lead us to heaven-ward, or magician and wizard to lead us hellward.
Stern accuracy in inquiring, bold imagination in describing, these are the cogs on which history soars or flutters and wobbles.
If there be no enemy there's no fight. If no fight, no victory and if no victory there is no crown.
For all right judgment of any man or things it is useful, nay, essential, to see his good qualities before pronouncing on his bad.
All evil is like a nightmare; the instant you stir under it, the evil is gone.
Democracy will prevail when men believe the vote of Judas as good as that of Jesus Christ.
The hell of these days is the fear of not getting along, especially of not making money.
It is a vain hope to make people happy by politics.
Clever men are good, but they are not the best.
Pain was not given thee merely to be miserable under; learn from it, turn it to account.