"How shallow is the stage on which this vast drama of human hates and joys and friendships is played! Whence do men draw this passion for eternity, flung by chance as they are upon a scarcely cooled bed of lava, threatened by the beginning by the deserts that are to be, under the constant menace of the snows? Their civilizations are but fragile gildings: a volcano can blot them out, a new sea, a sand-storm."

Antoine de Saint-Exupery, French Novelist

History, Civilization, Time, Observation

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"How shallow is the stage on which this vast drama of human hates and joys and friendships is played! Whence do men draw this passion for eternity, flung by chance as they are upon a scarcely cooled bed of lava, threatened by the beginning by the deserts that are to be, under the constant menace of the snows? Their civilizations are but fragile gildings: a volcano can blot them out, a new sea, a sand-storm."

Exlpore more History quotes

"The good old days, when each idea had an owner, are gone forever."

Paulo Coelho, Brazilian Novelist

History, Change, Idea, Ownership, Past

"The greatest tragedy in mankind's entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion."

Arthur C. Clarke, English Writer

History, Religion, Morality, Mankind

"They were obviously headstones of graves, though the graves themselves no longer existed as either mounds or depressions; the years had leveled all. Scattered here and there, more massive blocks showed where some pompous or ambitious monument had once flung its feeble defiance at oblivion."

Ambrose Bierce, American Journalist

History, Death, Decay, Memory

"There was something melancholic about that symbol of their nation's promise of freedom, a bell with a chipped mouth and cleft body."

E.A. Bucchianeri, American Author

History, Symbolism, Patriotism, Emotion

"The United States was born in the country and moved to the city in the nineteenth century."

Anonymous, Unknown Unknown

History, Country, City, America

"This is no war of chieftains or of princes, of dynasties or national ambition; it is a war of peoples and of causes. There are vast numbers, not only in this Island but in every land, who will render faithful service in this war, but whose names will never be known, whose deeds will never be recorded. This is a War of the Unknown Warriors."

Winston Churchill, English Statesman

History, War, Honor, Service, Humanity

"The past is not a package one can lay away."

Emily Dickinson, American Poet

History, Past, Memory, Time

"The double-crossed, might-have-been history of my country is not the study of what actually took place here: it's the study of historians' studies. . . .Memories are their own descendants masquerading as the ancestors of the present."

David Mitchell, British Novelist

History, Memory, Study, Truth

"The whole history of the world is summed up in the fact that when nations are strong they are not always just and when they wish to be just they are no longer strong."

Winston Churchill, English Statesman

History, Power, Justice, Strength

"An important part of what the state does is preserving its history."

James R. Thompson, American Politician

History, State

Explore more quotes by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart."

Heart

"We do not pray for immortality, but only not to see our acts and all things stripped suddenly of all their meaning; for then it is the utter emptiness of everything reveals itself."

Philosophy

"Night when words fade and things come alive when the destructive analysis of day is done and all that is truly important becomes whole and sound again. When man reassembles his fragmentary self and grows with the calm of a tree."

Philosophy

"When you've finished your own toilet in the morning, then it is time to attend to the toilet of your planet, just so, with the greatest care."

Duty

"Why are you drinking? demanded the little prince."So that I may forget," replied the tippler."Forget what?" inquired the little prince, who was already sorry for him."Forget that I am ashamed," the tippler confessed, hanging his head."Ashamed of what?" insisted the little prince, who wanted to help him."Ashamed of drinking!"

Relationship

"Love is not about staring at each other, but staring off in the same direction."

Relationship

"I remembered the fox. One runs the risk of crying a bit if one allows oneself to be tamed."

Philosophy

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Exlpore more History quotes

"The good old days, when each idea had an owner, are gone forever."

"The greatest tragedy in mankind's entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion."

"They were obviously headstones of graves, though the graves themselves no longer existed as either mounds or depressions; the years had leveled all. Scattered here and there, more massive blocks showed where some pompous or ambitious monument had once flung its feeble defiance at oblivion."

"There was something melancholic about that symbol of their nation's promise of freedom, a bell with a chipped mouth and cleft body."

"The United States was born in the country and moved to the city in the nineteenth century."

"The past is not a package one can lay away."

"The double-crossed, might-have-been history of my country is not the study of what actually took place here: it's the study of historians' studies. . . .Memories are their own descendants masquerading as the ancestors of the present."

"The whole history of the world is summed up in the fact that when nations are strong they are not always just and when they wish to be just they are no longer strong."

"An important part of what the state does is preserving its history."

Explore more quotes by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart."

"We do not pray for immortality, but only not to see our acts and all things stripped suddenly of all their meaning; for then it is the utter emptiness of everything reveals itself."

"Night when words fade and things come alive when the destructive analysis of day is done and all that is truly important becomes whole and sound again. When man reassembles his fragmentary self and grows with the calm of a tree."

"When you've finished your own toilet in the morning, then it is time to attend to the toilet of your planet, just so, with the greatest care."

"Love is not about staring at each other, but staring off in the same direction."

"I remembered the fox. One runs the risk of crying a bit if one allows oneself to be tamed."

"Conceited people never hear anything but praise."

"Tell me who admires and loves you, and I will tell you who you are."

"The field of consciousness is tiny. It accepts only one problem at a time."