--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The beginning of all wisdom is to look…" description: "\"The beginning of all wisdom is to look fixedly on clothes, or even with armed eyesight, till they become transparent.\" — Thomas Carlyle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/thomas-carlyle-207_clothes_the-beginning-of-all-wisdom-is-to-look-f_137212.png" --- # The beginning of all wisdom is to look fixedly on clothes… ![“The beginning of all wisdom is to look fixedly on clothes, or even with armed eyesight, till they become transparent.” quote by Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/thomas-carlyle-207_clothes_the-beginning-of-all-wisdom-is-to-look-f_137212.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/thomas-carlyle-207_clothes_the-beginning-of-all-wisdom-is-to-look-f_137212.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/thomas-carlyle-207_clothes_the-beginning-of-all-wisdom-is-to-look-f_137212.png) > “The beginning of all wisdom is to look fixedly on clothes, or even with armed eyesight, till they become transparent.” [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True wisdom begins by scrutinizing appearances until their superficiality disappears, revealing deeper truths. **In simple terms:** Look beyond appearances to gain wisdom. Key Takeaway Seek truth beneath the surface. Themes wisdom perception truth Mood analytical curious Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - education - investigation - self‑reflection Key Concepts philosophy critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you test appearances? - What tools reveal deeper meaning? A Different Perspective Surface analysis may miss hidden layers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [On neither the sun, nor death, can a man look fixedly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/on-neither-the-sun-nor-death-can-a-man-look-fixedly/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [I am dedicated to the belief that it is God's will that all men should strive for wisdom in themselves, not look to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-zimmer-bradley/i-am-dedicated-to-the-belief-that-it-is-god-s-will-that-all-men/) [Marion Zimmer Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-zimmer-bradley/) > [When I look inside and see that I'm nothing, that's wisdom. When I look outside and see that I'm everything, that's love. And between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-m-nothing-that-s-wisdom-when-i-look/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [“When I look inside and see that I am nothing, that is wisdom. When I look outside and see that I am everything, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/when-i-look-inside-and-see-that-i-am-nothing-that-is-wisdom-when-i/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [Once you're looking for wisdom, you have to look at why things happen and why people behave how they do: you cannot, in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genesis-p-orridge/once-you-re-looking-for-wisdom-you-have-to-look-at-why-things-happen/) [Genesis P-Orridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genesis-p-orridge/) > [“You can borrow things and clothing from shops to look expensive and successful but remember that you cannot borrow personality or wisdom to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-verd/you-can-borrow-things-and-clothing-from-shops-to-look-expensive-and/) [Nicky Verd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-verd/) > [Congress is the third branch of government... which makes every one of the 535 members of Congress 1/535th of that important one-third, which works…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-pruden/congress-is-the-third-branch-of-government-which-makes-every-one-of/) [Wesley Pruden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-pruden/) > [Hmmm, completely a-religious - atheist. 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So we'll have to tell you something you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/you-come-to-me-for-advice-but-you-can-t-cope-with-anything-you-don-t/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [When I cook him dinner and I burn it black, he better say hmmm, I like it like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shania-twain/when-i-cook-him-dinner-and-i-burn-it-black-he-better-say-hmmm-i-like/) [Shania Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shania-twain/) > [The universe is simmering down, like a giant stew left to cook for four billion years. Sooner or later we won’t be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-bloch/the-universe-is-simmering-down-like-a-giant-stew-left-to-cook-for/) [Arthur Bloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-bloch/) ## More by Thomas Carlyle > [O thou that pinest in the imprisonment of the Actual, and criest bitterly to the gods for a kingdom wherein to rule and create,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/o-thou-that-pinest-in-the-imprisonment-of-the-actual-and-criest/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Whose school-hours are all the days and nights of our existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/whose-school-hours-are-all-the-days-and-nights-of-our-existence/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [No sadder proof can be given by a man of his own littleness than disbelief in great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-sadder-proof-can-be-given-by-a-man-of-his-own-littleness-than/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Fame, we may understand, is no sure test of merit, but only a probability of such: it is an accident, not a property, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/fame-we-may-understand-is-no-sure-test-of-merit-but-only-a/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The sincere alone can recognize sincerity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-sincere-alone-can-recognize-sincerity/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole city is affected by the licentious passions and vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/be-a-pattern-to-others-and-then-all-will-go-well-for-as-a-whole-city/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The glory of a workman, still more of a master workman, that he does his work well, ought to be his most precious possession;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-glory-of-a-workman-still-more-of-a-master-workman-that-he-does/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [All human things do require to have an ideal in them; to have some soul in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/all-human-things-do-require-to-have-an-ideal-in-them-to-have-some/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Insurrection, never so necessary, is a most sad necessity; and governors who wait for that to instruct them are surely getting into the fatalest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/insurrection-never-so-necessary-is-a-most-sad-necessity-and-governors/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [What is philosophy but a continual battle against custom?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-is-philosophy-but-a-continual-battle-against-custom/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Let Time and Chance combine, combine! Let Time and Chance combine! The fairest love from heaven above, That love of yours was mine, My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/let-time-and-chance-combine-combine-let-time-and-chance-combine-the/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Thought will not work except in silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/thought-will-not-work-except-in-silence/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The public is anold woman.Let her maunderand mumble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-public-is-anold-woman-let-her-maunderand-mumble/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Does not every true man feel that he is himself made higher by doing reverence to what is really above him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/does-not-every-true-man-feel-that-he-is-himself-made-higher-by-doing/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The press is the fourth estate of the realm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-press-is-the-fourth-estate-of-the-realm/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) [Explore all 917 Thomas Carlyle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) ## More Clothes quotes > [Personal Style comes from within. 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The British Vogue one featured clothes by Chloe and was shot at Highgate and the John Soane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-shot-for-french-and-british-vogue-the-british-vogue-one-featured/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [Everyday happiness means getting up in the morning, and you can't wait to finish your breakfast. You can't wait to do your exercises. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-burns/everyday-happiness-means-getting-up-in-the-morning-and-you-can-t-wait/) [George Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-burns/) > [I design some of my own clothes now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiernan-shipka/i-design-some-of-my-own-clothes-now/) [Kiernan Shipka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiernan-shipka/) > [I know my hair is out of the '60's, my clothes are '50's and the shoes I wear are from the '40's. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-know-my-hair-is-out-of-the-60-s-my-clothes-are-50-s-and-the-shoes-i/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [Don't get too excited, but I'm naked under these clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/don-t-get-too-excited-but-i-m-naked-under-these-clothes/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Downstairs in my house, I have a museum room. I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. 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