Thomas Carlyle, (1795-1881) British historian and essayist. Quotes

Men do less than they ought, unless they do all they can.

To reform a world, to reform a nation, no wise man will undertake; and all but foolish men know that the only solid, though a far slower reformation, is what each begins and perfects on himself.

No good book or good thing of any kind shows its best face at first. No the most common quality of in a true work of art that has excellence and depth, is that at first sight it produces a certain disappointment.

Prayer is and remains always a native and deepest impulse of the soul of man.

Here hath been dawning another blue day: think, wilt thou let it slip useless away?

Wonderful "Force of Public Opinion!" We must act and walk in all points as it prescribes; follow the traffic it bids us, realize the sum of money, the degree of "influence" it expects of us, or we shall be lightly esteemed; certain mouthfuls of articulate wind will be blown at us, and this what mortal courage can front?

Let him who wants to move and convince others, be first moved and convinced himself.

Cash-payment never was or could, except for a few years be, the union-bond of man to man. Cash never yet paid one man fully his deserts to another; nor could it, nor can it, now or henceforth to the end of the world.

For the "superior morality," of which we hear so much, we too would desire to be thankful: at the same time, it were but blindness to deny that this "superior morality" is properly rather an "inferior criminality," produced not by greater love of Virtue, but by greater perfection of Police; and of that far subtler and stronger Police, called Public Opinion.

Life is a little gleam of time between two eternities.