“Till we know that, what is all our knowledge; how shall we even so much as "detect?”
For the vulpine sharpness, which considers itself to be knowledge, and "detects" in that fashion, is far mistaken. Dupes indeed are many: but, of all dupes, there is none so fatally situated as he who lives in undue terror of being duped.
1840s, Heroes and Hero-Worship (1840), The Hero As King
Help us to complete the source, original and additional information
Thomas Carlyle 481
Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian… 1795–1881Related quotes

Source: Teaching Critical Thinking: Practical Wisdom

Source: Testimony: its Posture in the Scientific World (1859), p. 14

Lecture 6
Lectures on Education (1855)
Context: The most ignorant are the most conceited. Unless a man knows that there is something more to be known, his inference is, of course, that he knows every thing. Such a man always usurps the throne of universal knowledge, and assumes the right of deciding all possible questions. We all know that a conceited dunce will decide questions extemporaneous which would puzzle a college of philosophers, or a bench of judges. Ignorant and shallow-minded men do not see far enough to see the difficulty. But let a man know that there are things to be known, of which he is ignorant, and it is so much carved out of his domain of universal knowledge. And for all purposes of individual character, as well as of social usefulness, it is quite as important for a man to know the extent of his own ignorance as it is to know any thing else. To know how much there is that we do not know, is one of the most valuable parts of our attainments; for such knowledge becomes both a lesson of humility and a stimulus to exertion.


Fore-knowledge of Death
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912), Part XXIII - Death
Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 602.

Letters and papers from Prison (1997), p. 311. May 25, 1944 letter to Eberhard Bethge,