WIST Quotations

Carlyle, Thomas -- Lecture (1840-05-05), “The Hero as Divinity,” Home House, Portman Square, London

Dave — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 22:26:53 +0000

The Thibet priests have methods of their own of discovering what Man is Greatest, fit to be supreme over them. Bad methods: but are they so much worse than our methods, — of understanding him to be always the eldest-born of a certain genealogy? Alas, it is a difficult thing to find good methods for!

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish essayist and historian
Lecture (1840-05-05), “The Hero as Divinity,” Home House, Portman Square, London
(Source)

Contrasting the role and selection of the Grand Lama (Dalai Lama) with that of the Pope.

The lecture notes were collected by Carlyle into On Heroes, Hero-Worship, & the Heroic in History, Lecture 1, (1841).

Nathan, George Jean -- The World in Falseface, “Art & Criticism,” #62 (1923)

Dave — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 17:22:40 +0000

The critic who at forty believes the same things he believed at twenty is either a genius or a jackass.

George Jean Nathan (1892-1958) American editor and critic
The World in Falseface, “Art & Criticism,” #62 (1923)
(Source)

~Other -- Raul Armesto

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

The world isn’t interested in the storms you encountered, but whether or not you brought in the ship.

(Other Authors and Sources)
Raul Armesto