--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a great discovery still to be…" description: "\"There is a great discovery still to be made in literature, that of paying literary men by the quantity they do not write.\" — Thomas Carlyle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d0/thomas-carlyle-207_books_there-is-a-great-discovery-still-to-be-m_2628306.png" --- # There is a great discovery still to be made in literature… ![“There is a great discovery still to be made in literature, that of paying literary men by the quantity they do not write.” quote by Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d0/thomas-carlyle-207_books_there-is-a-great-discovery-still-to-be-m_2628306.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d0/thomas-carlyle-207_books_there-is-a-great-discovery-still-to-be-m_2628306.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d0/thomas-carlyle-207_books_there-is-a-great-discovery-still-to-be-m_2628306.png) > “There is a great discovery still to be made in literature, that of paying literary men by the quantity they do not write.” [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. Literature should reward those who write less, highlighting the value of restraint and quality over quantity. **In simple terms:** Reward restraint in writing. Key Takeaway Value quality, not quantity. Themes literature economics creativity Mood reflective critical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - publishing contracts - author incentives - literary awards - creative writing workshops Key Concepts minimalism valuation literary criticism Questions to Reflect On - How does scarcity affect perceived value? - Can quality be measured without quantity? A Different Perspective May undervalue prolific writers who produce valuable work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [The only literary men are those who have to work at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ade/the-only-literary-men-are-those-who-have-to-work-at-it/) [George Ade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ade/) > [Literary men now routinely tell their readers about their divorces. One literary man who reviews books wrote, in reviewing a study of Ruskin, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-s-trow/literary-men-now-routinely-tell-their-readers-about-their-divorces/) [George W. S. Trow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-s-trow/) > [it never really occurred to her that literary men, if they like women at all, do not want literary women but girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-spark/it-never-really-occurred-to-her-that-literary-men-if-they-like-women/) [Muriel Spark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-spark/) > [In general I do not draw well with literary men -- not that I dislike them but I never know what to say to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/in-general-i-do-not-draw-well-with-literary-men-not-that-i-dislike/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [“It may be whispered to those uninitiated people who are anxious to know the habits and make the acquaintance of men of letters, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/it-may-be-whispered-to-those-uninitiated-people-who-are-anxious-to/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [“Never in her life had she seen such literary men. They were incredibly vain, but made no secret of it, as though they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/never-in-her-life-had-she-seen-such-literary-men-they-were-incredibly/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Perhaps the greatest lesson which the lives of literary men teach us is told in a single word\* Wait!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/perhaps-the-greatest-lesson-which-the-lives-of-literary-men-teach-us/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [One would think that in writing about literary men and matters there would be no difficulty in finding a title for one's essay, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-payn/one-would-think-that-in-writing-about-literary-men-and-matters-there/) [James Payn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-payn/) > [Literary men are . . . a perpetual priesthood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/literary-men-are-a-perpetual-priesthood/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [Classical quotation is the parole of literary men all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/classical-quotation-is-the-parole-of-literary-men-all-over-the-world/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Literary men are being employed to praise a big business man personally, as men used to praise a king. They not only find political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/literary-men-are-being-employed-to-praise-a-big-business-man/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [When we consider the weak and nerveless periods of some literary men, who perchance in feet and inches come up to the standard oftheir…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-we-consider-the-weak-and-nerveless-periods-of-some-literary-men/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [All literary men are Red Sox fans - to be a Yankee fan in a literate society is to endanger your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cheever/all-literary-men-are-red-sox-fans-to-be-a-yankee-fan-in-a-literate/) [John Cheever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cheever/) > [Parliament will train you to talk; and above all things to hear, with patience, unlimited quantities of foolish talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/parliament-will-train-you-to-talk-and-above-all-things-to-hear-with/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [I've been an inveterate reader of literary magazines since I was a teenager. There are always discoveries. You're sitting in your easy chair, reading;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/i-ve-been-an-inveterate-reader-of-literary-magazines-since-i-was-a/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) ## 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 Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is a great discovery still to be made in literature, that of paying literary men by the quantity they do not write.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Carlyle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/there-is-a-great-discovery-still-to-be-made-in-literature-that-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/there-is-a-great-discovery-still-to-be-made-in-literature-that-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d0/thomas-carlyle-207_books_there-is-a-great-discovery-still-to-be-m_2628306.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d0/thomas-carlyle-207_books_there-is-a-great-discovery-still-to-be-m_2628306.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d0/thomas-carlyle-207_books_there-is-a-great-discovery-still-to-be-m_2628306.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is a great discovery still to be made in literature, that of paying literary men by the quantity they…” — Thomas Carlyle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Thomas Carlyle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is a great discovery still...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/there-is-a-great-discovery-still-to-be-made-in-literature-that-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/there-is-a-great-discovery-still-to-be-made-in-literature-that-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```