(1795–1881) Thomas Carlyle was a Scottish essayist, historian, and philosopher. He’s mostly known for his letters, histories, and critical essays. In Twilight of the Idols, Nietzsche calls the Life of Thomas Carlyle an “involuntary farce.” He criticizes Carlyle for desiring—while simultaneously lacking—a strong religious faith, which is exactly the sort of moral conflict (aspiring to ideals) that Nietzsche associates with the degradation of modern society.