"Secrecy is the element of all goodness; even virtue, even beauty is mysterious"

This quote by Thomas Carlyle recommends that secrecy is a vital part of all that is excellent. He implies that even virtue and charm are strange and can not be fully comprehended. This recommends that there is something special and unique about these qualities that can not be totally discussed. It is this secret that makes them so appealing and preferable. Carlyle is recommending that the best things in life are those that are not totally understood and that the component of secrecy is what makes them so unique. He is recommending that the very best things in life are those that are not completely exposed which the mystery of them is what makes them so attractive. He is also recommending that the best things in life are those that are not fully comprehended which the component of secrecy is what makes them so preferable. By stressing the significance of secrecy, Carlyle is suggesting that the best things in life are those that are not completely exposed which the mystery of them is what makes them so appealing.