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They only are wise who know that they know nothing.

Thomas Carlyle

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Thomas Carlyle
Age: 85 †
Born: 1795
Born: December 4
Died: 1881
Died: February 5
Essayist
Historian
Linguist
Literary Critic
Literary Historian
Mathematician
Novelist
Philosopher
Teacher
Translator
Writer
Philosopher of Chelsea
Wise
Nothing

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Terror itself, when once grown transcendental, becomes a kind of courage as frost sufficiently intense, according to the poet Milton, will burn.
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The scandalous bronze-lacquer age of hungry animalisms, spiritual impotences, and mendacities, will have to run its course, till the pit follow it.
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True humor springs not more from the head than from the heart. It is not contempt its essence is love. It issues not in laughter, but in still smiles, which lie far deeper.
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That a Parliament, especially a Parliament with Newspaper Reporters firmly established in it, is an entity which by its very nature cannot do work, but can do talk only.
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At worst, is not this an unjust world, full of nothing but beasts of prey, four-footed or two-footed?
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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.
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The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Karbala is that Husain and his companions were rigid believers in God. They illustrated that the numerical superiority does not count when it comes to the truth and the falsehood. The victory of Husain, despite his minority, marvels me!
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No nobler feeling than this, of admiration for one higher than himself, dwells in the breast of man. It is to this hour, and at all hours, the vivifying influence in man's life.
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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.
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O Time! Time! how it brings forth and devours! And the roaring flood of existence rushes on forever similar, forever changing!
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Weak eyes are fondest of glittering objects.
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A man protesting against error is on the way towards uniting himself with all men that believe in truth.
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Great men are the modelers, patterns, and in a wide sense creators, of whatsoever the general mass of men contrived to do and attain.
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Every noble crown is, and on Earth will forever be, a crown of thorns.
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You can make even a parrot into a learned political economist - all he must learn are the two words supply and demand.
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The insignificant, the empty, is usually the loud and after the manner of a drum, is louder even because of its emptiness.
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The English are a dumb people. They can do great acts, but not describe them.
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God Almighty never created a man half as wise as he looks.
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Evil and good are everywhere, like shadow and substance inseparable (for men) yet not hostile, only opposed.
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The tragedy of life is not so much what men suffer, but rather what they miss.
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