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Thomas Carlyle on Books

1795–1881 Scotland

← All quotes by Thomas Carlyle

12 quotes

If a book come from the heart, it will contrive to reach other hearts; all art and authorcraft are of small amount to that.

Heroes and Hero Worship (1840)

All that Mankind has done, thought, gained or been: it is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of Books.

Heroes and Hero-Worship (1840)

Literary men are...a perpetual priesthood.

Critical and Miscellaneous Essays (1827)

If time is precious, no book that will not improve by repeated readings deserves to be read at all.

The Book had in a high degree excited us to self-activity, which is the best effect of any book.

Sartor Resartus (1833)

We have not read an author till we have seen his object, whatever it may be, as he saw it.

A man perfects himself by work much more than by reading.

On The Choice Of Books (1866)

In books lies the soul of the whole Past Time; the articulate audible voice of the Past, when the body and material substance of it has altogether vanished like a dream.

Heroes and Hero-Worship (1840)

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.

The true University of these days is a Collection of Books.

Heroes and Hero-Worship (1840)

Literature is the Thought of thinking Souls.

Sir Walter Scott (1838)

…walked abroad with ferule and horn-book

Miscellanies (1831)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Thomas Carlyle (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.