Thomas Carlyle (1795 - 1881) was a Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher. Considered one of the most important social commentators of its time, he presented many lectures during his lifetime with certain acclaim in the Victorian era. One of those conferences resulted in his famous work "On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and The Heroic in History" where he explains that the key role in history lies in the actions of the "Great Man," claiming that "History is nothing but the biography of the Great Man." He was a very respected historian and his book The French Revolution: A History remains popular nowadays and it was the inspiration for Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities." Carlyle's "Sartor Resartus" is considered one of the finest works of the 19th century. In this book: Heroes and Hero Worship The French Revolution Sartor Resartus, The Life and Opinions of Herr Teufelsdrockh Past and Present