Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) was an eminent—and controversial—Scottish historian, political philosopher, and essayist from the Victorian era.
Known for his incisive critique of British society, Carlyle was one of the most significant thinkers of the nineteenth century. However, since the early 1900s, his work has been criticized for his belief that powerful, heroic individuals can transform the course of humanity and for his adoration of the Germanic spirit—both of which invigorated Nazi ideologues.
Carlyle studied and translated German literature in his early years. Some of his earliest writings describe a polarity between the “sacrificial seriousness” of the German culture and the “superficial, pleasure-seeking” British culture. In Signs of the Times (1829,) he described the chasm between the material advancements of the machine age and the soulless mediocrity of “modern man.”
Carlyle’s first truly successful book was The French Revolution (3 vols., 1837.) Considered a reliable account of the early course of the Revolution, it was used for reference by Charles Dickens while writing his A Tale of Two Cities (1859.)
At the core of Carlyle’s political philosophy was his attribution of all historical progress solely to mighty heroes who served as role models for how people should live. He wrote, “No great man lives in vain. The history of the world is but the biography of great men.” He expounded these beliefs in The French Revolution, On Heroes and Hero Worship (1841,) and History of Frederick the Great (6 vols., 1858–65.) These books profoundly influenced German and Italian fascism and painted Carlyle as a progenitor of the concept of totalitarian regimes.
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No ghost was every seen by two pair of eyes.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Spirit, Spirituality
The actual well seen is ideal.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Idealism, Ideals
Imperfection clings to a person, and if they wait till they are brushed off entirely, they would spin for ever on their axis, advancing nowhere.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Perfection
A lie should be trampled on and extinguished wherever found.—I am for fumigating the atmosphere when I suspect that falsehood, like pestilence, breathes around me.
—Thomas Carlyle
Old age is not a matter for sorrow. It is matter for thanks if we have left our work done behind us.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Age
The meaning of song goes deep. Who is there that, in logical words, can express the effect music has on us? A kind of inarticulate, unfathomable speech, which leads us to the edge of the infinite, and lets us for moments gaze into that!
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Music
I grow daily to honor facts more and more, and theory less and less. A fact, it seems to me, is a great thing—a sentence printed, if not by God, then at least by the Devil.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Facts
No age seemed the age of romance to itself.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Romance
Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Honesty
If you are ever in doubt as to whether to kiss a pretty girl, always give her the benefit of the doubt.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Kiss, Women
There is often more spiritual force in a proverb than in whole philosophical systems.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Proverbial Wisdom, Proverbs
The first sin in our universe was Lucifer’s self conceit.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Sin
A man cannot make a pair of shoes rightly unless he do it in a devout manner.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Talent
The purpose of man is in action not thought.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Purpose
There are depths in man that go to the lowest hell, and heights that reach the highest heaven, for are not both heaven and hell made out of him, everlasting miracle and mystery that he is.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Man
One life; a little gleam of time between two eternities; no second chance for us forever more.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Life
If the cut of the costume indicates intellect and talent, then the color indicates temper and heart.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Fashion
When we can drain the Ocean into mill-ponds, and bottle up the Force of Gravity, to be sold by retail, in gas jars; then may we hope to comprehend the infinitudes of man’s soul under formulas of Profit and Loss; and rule over this too, as over a patent engine, by checks, and valves, and balances.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Technology
No man sees far, most see no farther than their noses.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Vision, Prophecy
Man is emphatically a proselytizing creature.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Humankind, Humanity
The man who cannot wonder, who does not habitually wonder and worship, is but a pair of spectacles behind which there is no eye.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Wonder
The end of man is action.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Inaction, Getting Going, Procrastination
No iron chain, or outward force of any kind, could ever compel the soul of man to believe or disbelieve.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Soul, Belief
A star is beautiful; it affords pleasure, not from what it is to do, or to give, but simply by being what it is. It befits the heavens; it has congruity with the mighty space in which it dwells. It has repose; no force disturbs its eternal peace. It has freedom; no obstruction lies between it and infinity.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Stars
Rare benevolence! the minister of God.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Benevolence
Not what I have, but what I do is my kingdom.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Consumerism
In every object there is inexhaustible meaning; the eye sees in it what the eye brings means of seeing.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Knowledge
Worship is transcendent wonder.
—Thomas Carlyle
The all-importance of clothes has sprung up in the intellect of the dandy, without effort, like an instinct of genius: he is inspired with cloth—a poet of clothing.
—Thomas Carlyle
No conquest can ever become permanent which does not show itself beneficial to the conquered as well as to the conquerors.
—Thomas Carlyle
Topics: Victory
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