“For what imaginable purpose was man made, if not to be "happy"?”

—  Thomas Carlyle

Pt. I, Bk. II, ch. 1.
1830s, The French Revolution. A History (1837)
Context: For what imaginable purpose was man made, if not to be "happy"? By victorious Analysis, and Progress of the Species, happiness enough now awaits him. Kings can become philosophers; or else philosophers Kings. Let but Society be once rightly constituted,—by victorious Analysis. The stomach that is empty shall be filled; the throat that is dry shall be wetted with wine. Labour itself shall be all one as rest; not grievous, but joyous Wheat-fields, one would think, cannot come to grow untilled; no man made clayey, or made weary thereby;—unless indeed machinery will do it? Gratuitous Tailors and Restaurateurs may start up, at fit intervals, one as yet sees not how. But if each will, according to rule of Benevolence, have a care for all, then surely—no one will be uncared for. Nay, who knows but by sufficiently victorious Analysis, "human life may be indefinitely lengthened," and men get rid of Death, as they have already done of the Devil? We shall then be happy in spite of Death and the Devil.

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Thomas Carlyle 481
Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian… 1795–1881
Thomas Carlyle quote: “For what imaginable purpose was man made, if not to be "happy"?”

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