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
If a book comes from the heart it will contrive to reach other hearts. All art and author craft are of small account to that.
In books lies the soul of the whole past time.
What we become depends on what we read after all the professors have finished with us. The greatest university of all is the collection of books.
If time is precious, no book that will not improve by repeated reading deserves to be read at all.
O thou who art able to write a Book, which once in the two centuries or oftener there is a man gifted to do, envy not him whom they name City-builder, and inexpressibly pity him whom they name Conqueror or City-burner! Thou too art a Conqueror and Victor; but of the true sort, namely over the Devil: thou too hast built what will outlast all marble and metal, and be a wonder-bringing City of the Mind, a Temple and Seminary and Prophetic Mount, whereto all kindreds of the Earth will pilgrim.
In the poorest cottage are Books: is one Book, wherein for several thousands of years the spirit of man has found light, and nourishment, and an interpreting response to whatever is Deepest in him.
Great men are the inspired texts of that divine Book of Revelations, whereof a chapter is completed from epoch to epoch, and by some named History.
I call the book of Job, apart from all theories about it, one of the grandest things ever written with the pen.
If time is precious, no book that will not improve by repeated readings deserves to be read at all.
May blessings be upon the head of Cadmus, the Phoenicians, or whoever it was that invented books.
If a book comes from the heart, it will contrive to reach other hearts; all art and author-craft are of small amount to that.
A noble book! all men's book!
O thou who art able to write a book which once in the two centuries or oftener there is a man gifted to do, envy not him whom they name city-builder, and inexpressibly pity him whom they name conqueror or city-burner.
Happy the people whose annals are blank in the history books!