“The man of Humor sees common life, even mean life, under the new light of sportfulness and love ; whatever has existence has a charm for him. Humor has justly been regarded as the finest perfection of poetic genius.”

— Thomas Carlyle

1820s, Critical and Miscellaneous Essays (1827–1855)
Context: Humor is properly the exponent of low things; that which first renders them poetical to the mind. The man of Humor sees common life, even mean life, under the new light of sportfulness and love; whatever has existence has a charm for him. Humor has justly been regarded as the finest perfection of poetic genius. He who wants it, be his other gifts what they may, has only half a mind; an eye for what is above him, not for what is about him or below him. Now, among all writers of any real poetic genius, we cannot recollect one who, in this respect, exhibits such total deficiency as Schiller. In his whole writings there is scarcely any vestige of it, scarcely any attempt that way. His nature was without Humor; and he had too true a feeling to adopt any counterfeit in its stead. Thus no drollery or caricature, still less any barren mockery, which, in the hundred cases are all that we find passing current as Humor, discover themselves in Schiller. His works are full of labored earnestness; he is the gravest of all writers.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "The man of Humor sees common life, even mean life, under the new light of sportfulness and love ; whatever has existenc…" by Thomas Carlyle?

Thomas Carlyle photo

Thomas Carlyle 481

Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian… 1795–1881

Related quotes

“Humor is properly the exponent of low things; that which first renders them poetical to the mind. The man of Humor sees common life, even mean life, under the new light of sportfulness and love; whatever has existence has a charm for him. Humor has justly been regarded as the finest perfection of poetic genius. He who wants it, be his other gifts what they may, has only half a mind; an eye for what is above him, not for what is about him or below him. Now, among all writers of any real poetic genius, we cannot recollect one who, in this respect, exhibits such total deficiency as Schiller. In his whole writings there is scarcely any vestige of it, scarcely any attempt that way. His nature was without Humor; and he had too true a feeling to adopt any counterfeit in its stead. Thus no drollery or caricature, still less any barren mockery, which, in the hundred cases are all that we find passing current as Humor, discover themselves in Schiller. His works are full of labored earnestness; he is the gravest of all writers.”

Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher

1820s, Critical and Miscellaneous Essays (1827–1855)

“A woman has to be intelligent, have charm, a sense of humor, and be kind. It's the same qualities I require from a man.”

Catherine Deneuve (1943) French actress

“Humor has been the balm of my life, but it's been reserved for those close to me, not part of the public Lana.”

Lana Turner (1921–1995) American actress

On the role of humor in her personal life, p. 10.
Autobiography

“I think my life has been wonderful. I have done what I felt like. I was given courage and I was given adventure and that has carried me along. And then also a sense of humor and a little bit of common sense. It has been a very rich life.”

Ingrid Bergman (1915–1982) Film actress from Sweden

Source: 2007: Movie Icons, ISBN 9783822822081 , page 174 , Verlag Taschen GmbH

“Philosophy and theology have no effect on him, much less plain common sense. Impossible to convince this man by arguments. But humor he always listens to, even though it be ill humor. A typical Icelander, perhaps.”

Halldór Laxness book Kristnihald undir Jökli (bók)

EmBi describing Pastor Jón
Kristnihald undir Jökli (Under the Glacier/Christianity at Glacier) (1968)

“Sometimes life has a cruel sense of humor, giving you the thing you always wanted at the worst time possible.”

Lisa Kleypas (1964) American writer

Source: Sugar Daddy

“It's hard not to immediately fall in love witha dog who has a good sense of humor.”

Kate DiCamillo book Because of Winn-Dixie

Source: Because of Winn-Dixie

“Common man, no matter how hard life is to him, at least has the fortune of not thinking it.”

Fernando Pessoa book The Book of Disquiet

Ibid., p. 181
The Book of Disquiet
Original: O homem vulgar, por mais dura que lhe seja a vida, tem ao menos a felicidade de a não pensar.

“The pessimist has to invent new reasons to exist every day: he is a victim of the "meaning" of life.”

Emil M. Cioran (1911–1995) Romanian philosopher and essayist

All Gall Is Divided (1952)

“Woman, in short, has an unconscious life, man a conscious life, and the genius the most conscious life.”

Otto Weininger book Sex and Character

Source: Sex and Character (1903), p. 113.

Related topics