Who said “Our grand business undoubtedly is, not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do…”?

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

SourceSigns of the Times (1829)

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“Our grand business undoubtedly is, not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.”
— Thomas Carlyle
VerifiedSigns of the Times (1829) · evidenceAction
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For academic work, cite the original where you can: Signs of the Times (1829).

APA

Carlyle, T. (n.d.). Our grand business undoubtedly is, not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/690-our-grand-business-undoubtedly-is-not-to-see/

MLA

Carlyle, Thomas. “Our grand business undoubtedly is, not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/690-our-grand-business-undoubtedly-is-not-to-see/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Carlyle, Thomas. “Our grand business undoubtedly is, not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/690-our-grand-business-undoubtedly-is-not-to-see/.

Related quotes

“I never "worry" about action, but only about inaction.”
— Winston Churchill
VerifiedSource: Winston Churchill (Author) and Richard Langworth (Editor) (28. Oktober 2008): Churchill by Himself: The Definitive Collection of Quotations. New York: PublicAffairs (1st Edition), page 160. · evidenceDetails & citeAction
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