Quotes by Historian | Beyond Motive 10/30

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Quotes by Historian

"The man who prefers his country before any other duty shows the same spirit as the man who surrenders every right to the state. They both deny that right is superior to authority."

"The man who prefers his country before any other duty shows the same spirit as the man who surrenders every right to the state. They both deny that right is superior to authority."

Lord Acton, British Historian

Authority, Country, Duty, Man

15

"We know no spectacle so ridiculous as the British public in one of its periodical fits of morality."

"We know no spectacle so ridiculous as the British public in one of its periodical fits of morality."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

Morality, Public

15

"However, the sciences of society and of history retained their old subservient relation to metaphysics for a long time - well into the eighteenth century."

"However, the sciences of society and of history retained their old subservient relation to metaphysics for a long time - well into the eighteenth century."

Wilhelm Dilthey, German Historian

History, Society, Time, Metaphysics

15

"I wondered vaguely if this was when it would end, whether I would pull up tonight's darkness like a quilt and be dead and at peace evermore."

"I wondered vaguely if this was when it would end, whether I would pull up tonight's darkness like a quilt and be dead and at peace evermore."

William Manchester, American Historian

Peace, Darkness, End

15

"In politics people give you what they think you deserve and deny you what they think you want."

"In politics people give you what they think you deserve and deny you what they think you want."

C. Northcote Parkinson, British Historian

Politics, People, Want

14

"The family is the nucleus of civilization."

"The family is the nucleus of civilization."

Will Durant, American Historian

Family, Civilization

14

"Wherever the relevance of speech is at stake, matters become political by definition, for speech is what makes man a political being."

"Wherever the relevance of speech is at stake, matters become political by definition, for speech is what makes man a political being."

Hannah Arendt, German Historian

Being, Man, Speech

14

"That is what leadership is all about: staking your ground ahead of where opinion is and convincing people, not simply following the popular opinion of the moment."

"That is what leadership is all about: staking your ground ahead of where opinion is and convincing people, not simply following the popular opinion of the moment."

Doris Kearns Goodwin, American Historian

Leadership, People, Opinion, Popular

14

"The public is wiser than the wisest critic."

"The public is wiser than the wisest critic."

George Bancroft, American Historian

14

"Eisenhower is my choice as the American of the 20th Century. Of all the men I've studied and written about, he is the brightest and the best."

"Eisenhower is my choice as the American of the 20th Century. Of all the men I've studied and written about, he is the brightest and the best."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Man, Men, Choice

14

"When the Chinese first came to San Francisco, they were actually welcomed by the mayor and they had special ceremonies for them-again this is when their colony was very small, only a few Chinese."

"When the Chinese first came to San Francisco, they were actually welcomed by the mayor and they had special ceremonies for them-again this is when their colony was very small, only a few Chinese."

Iris Chang, Chinese Historian

14

"A teacher affects eternity he can never tell, where his influence stops."

"A teacher affects eternity he can never tell, where his influence stops."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Influence, Eternity

14

"Everything that rises sets, and everything that grows, grows old."

"Everything that rises sets, and everything that grows, grows old."

Sallust, Roman Historian

14

"It is less difficult to bear misfortunes than to remain uncorrupted by pleasure."

"It is less difficult to bear misfortunes than to remain uncorrupted by pleasure."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

14

"Susceptibility to the highest forces is the highest genius."

"Susceptibility to the highest forces is the highest genius."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

14

"Winning the Revolutionary War, or the Civil War, or World War II were the turning points in our history, the sine qua non of our forward progress."

"Winning the Revolutionary War, or the Civil War, or World War II were the turning points in our history, the sine qua non of our forward progress."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

War, History, Progress, Winning

14

"The very exercise of leadership fosters capacity for it."

"The very exercise of leadership fosters capacity for it."

Cyril Falls, English Historian

Leadership, Exercise

14

"Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion."

"Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion."

C. Northcote Parkinson, British Historian

Time, Work, Completion

14

"We enter the world alone, we leave the world alone."

"We enter the world alone, we leave the world alone."

James Anthony Froude, English Historian

14

"Dams have harmed our wildlife and made rivers less useful for recreation."

"Dams have harmed our wildlife and made rivers less useful for recreation."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Dams, Recreation, Rivers, Wildlife

14

"It's impossible for someone who is human to have all good things together, just as there is no single country able to provide all good things for itself."

"It's impossible for someone who is human to have all good things together, just as there is no single country able to provide all good things for itself."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Nation, Country

14

"I find nothing more depressing than optimism."

"I find nothing more depressing than optimism."

Paul Fussell, American Historian

Optimism, Nothing

14

"The end comes when we no longer talk with ourselves. It is the end of genuine thinking and the beginning of the final loneliness."

"The end comes when we no longer talk with ourselves. It is the end of genuine thinking and the beginning of the final loneliness."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Beginning, End, Loneliness, Talk

14

"These are strange times. Reason, which once combatted faith and seemed to have conquered it, now has to look to faith to save it from dissolution."

"These are strange times. Reason, which once combatted faith and seemed to have conquered it, now has to look to faith to save it from dissolution."

Johan Huizinga, Dutch Historian

Faith, Now, Reason

14

"You don't hate history, you hate the way it was taught to you in high school."

"You don't hate history, you hate the way it was taught to you in high school."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

History, Hate, School

14

"It has always been my practice to cast a long paragraph in a single mould, to try it by my ear, to deposit it in my memory, but to suspend the action of the pen till I had given the last polish to my work."

"It has always been my practice to cast a long paragraph in a single mould, to try it by my ear, to deposit it in my memory, but to suspend the action of the pen till I had given the last polish to my work."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Work, Action, Memory, Pen

14

"Experience is the extract of suffering."

"Experience is the extract of suffering."

Arthur Helps, British Historian

Experience, Suffering

14

"The conservative revival cannot be dismissed."

"The conservative revival cannot be dismissed."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

14

"The better one is morally the less aware they are of their virtue."

"The better one is morally the less aware they are of their virtue."

James Anthony Froude, English Historian

14

"The facts of life are very stubborn things."

"The facts of life are very stubborn things."

Cleveland Amory, American Historian

14

"All those who offer an opinion on any doubtful point should first clear their minds of every sentiment of dislike, friendship, anger or pity."

"All those who offer an opinion on any doubtful point should first clear their minds of every sentiment of dislike, friendship, anger or pity."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Friendship, Anger, First, Opinion

14

"To go back and read Swift and Defoe and Samuel Johnson and Smollett and Pope - all those people we had to read in college English courses - to read them now is to have one of the infinite pleasures in life."

"To go back and read Swift and Defoe and Samuel Johnson and Smollett and Pope - all those people we had to read in college English courses - to read them now is to have one of the infinite pleasures in life."

David McCullough, American Historian

Life, People, College, English

14

"Truth is not exciting enough to those who depend on the characters and lives of their neighbors for all their amusement."

"Truth is not exciting enough to those who depend on the characters and lives of their neighbors for all their amusement."

George Bancroft, American Historian

Truth, Amusement, Neighbors

14

"Who today is willing to say that Texas and California and the remainder of the Southwest would be better off if they were governed by Mexico?"

"Who today is willing to say that Texas and California and the remainder of the Southwest would be better off if they were governed by Mexico?"

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Government, Today

14

"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws."

"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Law, Laws, State

14

"In time I began to understand that it's when you start writing that you really find out what you don't know and need to know."

"In time I began to understand that it's when you start writing that you really find out what you don't know and need to know."

David McCullough, American Historian

14

"God does not suffer presumption in anyone but himself."

"God does not suffer presumption in anyone but himself."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

14

"As often happens during a war, some parts of the country prospered, notwithstanding the constant loss."

"As often happens during a war, some parts of the country prospered, notwithstanding the constant loss."

Albert Bushnell Hart, American Historian

War, Country, Loss

14

"And remember, where you have a concentration of power in a few hands, all too frequently men with the mentality of gangsters get control. History has proven that."

"And remember, where you have a concentration of power in a few hands, all too frequently men with the mentality of gangsters get control. History has proven that."

Lord Acton, British Historian

History, Men, Power, Control

14

"Knowledge of human nature is the beginning and end of political education."

"Knowledge of human nature is the beginning and end of political education."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Education, Nature, Knowledge, Beginning

14

"Just to stir things up seemed a great reward in itself."

"Just to stir things up seemed a great reward in itself."

Sallust, Roman Historian

14

"American society is a sort of flat, fresh-water pond which absorbs silently, without reaction, anything which is thrown into it."

"American society is a sort of flat, fresh-water pond which absorbs silently, without reaction, anything which is thrown into it."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

14

"The Third World is not a reality but an ideology."

"The Third World is not a reality but an ideology."

Hannah Arendt, German Historian

Third, Ideology, Reality, World

14

"I can not think of any circumstances in which advertising would not be an evil."

"I can not think of any circumstances in which advertising would not be an evil."

Arnold J. Toynbee, British Historian

Advertising, Circumstances, Evil

14

"The glory that goes with wealth is fleeting and fragile; virtue is a possession glorious and eternal."

"The glory that goes with wealth is fleeting and fragile; virtue is a possession glorious and eternal."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Virtue, Wealth, Glory, Possession

14

"History shows how feeble are barriers of paper."

"History shows how feeble are barriers of paper."

John Lothrop Motley, American Historian

14

"We employ the mind to rule, the body to serve."

"We employ the mind to rule, the body to serve."

Sallust, Roman Historian

14

"By liberty I mean the assurance that every man shall be protected in doing what he believes is his duty against the influence of authority and majorities, custom and opinion."

"By liberty I mean the assurance that every man shall be protected in doing what he believes is his duty against the influence of authority and majorities, custom and opinion."

John Acton, English Historian

Authority, Custom, Duty, Influence

14

"Traditionalists will have to master techniques of sustained activism formerly monopolized by the left."

"Traditionalists will have to master techniques of sustained activism formerly monopolized by the left."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Politics, Activism, Will

14

"A committee is organic rather than mechanical in its nature: it is not a structure but a plant. It takes root and grows, it flowers, wilts, and dies, scattering the seed from which other committees will bloom in their turn."

"A committee is organic rather than mechanical in its nature: it is not a structure but a plant. It takes root and grows, it flowers, wilts, and dies, scattering the seed from which other committees will bloom in their turn."

C. Northcote Parkinson, British Historian

Organization, Committee, Flowers, Will

14

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