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
Lord Bacon could as easily have created the planets as he could have written Hamlet.
It is now almost my sole rule of life to clear myself of cants and formulas, as of poisonous Nessus shirts.
He that works and does some Poem, not he that merely says one, is worthy of the name of Poet.
The eye of the intellect "sees in all objects what it brought with it the means of seeing."
I came hither [Craigenputtoch] solely with the design to simplify my way of life and to secure the independence through which I could be enabled to remain true to myself.
Are not our greatest men as good as lost? The men that walk daily among us, warming us, feeding us, walk shrouded in darkness, mere mythic men.
A false man found a religion? Why, a false man cannot build a brick house!
We have chosen Mahomet not as the most eminent Prophet; but as the one we are freest to speak of. He is by no means the truest of Prophets; but I do esteem him a true one.
What is philosophy but a continual battle against custom?
Of all God's creatures, Man alone is poor.
The first duty of man is that of subduing fear.
To each is given a certain inward talent, a certain outward environment or fortune; to each by wisest combination of these two, a certain maximum capacity.
The mathematics of high achievement
Who is there that, in logical words, can express the effect music has on us?