Who said “Nothing that was worthy in the past departs; no truth or goodness realized by man ever…”?

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Thomas Carlyle. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceSir Walter Scott (1838)

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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Sir Walter Scott (1838).

APA

Carlyle, T. (n.d.). Nothing that was worthy in the past departs; no truth or goodness realized by man ever dies, or can die. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/20174-nothing-that-was-worthy-in-the-past-departs/

MLA

Carlyle, Thomas. “Nothing that was worthy in the past departs; no truth or goodness realized by man ever dies, or can die.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/20174-nothing-that-was-worthy-in-the-past-departs/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Carlyle, Thomas. “Nothing that was worthy in the past departs; no truth or goodness realized by man ever dies, or can die.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/20174-nothing-that-was-worthy-in-the-past-departs/.

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“To conceive the good, in fact, is not sufficient; it must be made to succeed among men. To accomplish this less pure paths must be followed.”
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VerifiedVie de Jésus (The Life of Jesus) (1863) · evidenceDetails & citeGoodness
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