Quotes by Historian | Beyond Motive 13/27

top of page

Quotes by Historian

"Like their predecessors, the Presidents of today just throw up their hands."

"Like their predecessors, the Presidents of today just throw up their hands."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

President, Today

3

"Here society is reduced to its original elements, the whole fabric of art and conventionality is struck rudely to pieces, and men find themselves suddenly brought back to the wants and resources of their original natures."

"Here society is reduced to its original elements, the whole fabric of art and conventionality is struck rudely to pieces, and men find themselves suddenly brought back to the wants and resources of their original natures."

Francis Parkman, American Historian

Art, Men, Society, Conventionality

3

"He who overcomes himself is divine. Most see their ruin before their eyes; but they go on into it."

"He who overcomes himself is divine. Most see their ruin before their eyes; but they go on into it."

Leopold Von Ranke, German Historian

Self-Improvement, Eyes, Ruin

3

"A wise person does at once, what a fool does at last. Both do the same thing; only at different times."

"A wise person does at once, what a fool does at last. Both do the same thing; only at different times."

Lord Acton, British Historian

3

"Men in authority will always think that criticism of their policies is dangerous. They will always equate their policies with patriotism, and find criticism subversive."

"Men in authority will always think that criticism of their policies is dangerous. They will always equate their policies with patriotism, and find criticism subversive."

Henry Steele Commager, American Historian

Man, Men, Patriotism, Authority, Criticism

3

"The present moment is nice but it does not last. Living in it is like waiting in a junction town for the morning limited; the junction may be interesting but some day you will have to leave it and you do not know where the limited will take you."

"The present moment is nice but it does not last. Living in it is like waiting in a junction town for the morning limited; the junction may be interesting but some day you will have to leave it and you do not know where the limited will take you."

Bruce Catton, American Historian

Progress, Day, Living, May, Present

3

"It was a rich and gorgeous sunset - an American sunset; and the ruddy glow of the sky was reflected from some extensive pools of water among the shadowy copses in the meadow below."

"It was a rich and gorgeous sunset - an American sunset; and the ruddy glow of the sky was reflected from some extensive pools of water among the shadowy copses in the meadow below."

Francis Parkman, American Historian

Nostalgia, Sky, Sunset, Water

3

"You are one of the forces of nature."

"You are one of the forces of nature."

Jules Michelet, French Historian

3

"By its very nature the beautiful is isolated from everything else. From beauty no road leads to reality."

"By its very nature the beautiful is isolated from everything else. From beauty no road leads to reality."

Hannah Arendt, German Historian

Nature, Beauty, Reality, Road

3

"The endurance of the inequalities of life by the poor is the marvel of human society."

"The endurance of the inequalities of life by the poor is the marvel of human society."

James Anthony Froude, English Historian

Life, Society, Endurance, Poor

3

"Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; While others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before."

"Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; While others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than ever before."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Man, Men, Goal, Victory

3

"It would not be possible to praises nurses too highly."

"It would not be possible to praises nurses too highly."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

3

"As the blessings of health and fortune have a beginning, so they must also find an end. Everything rises but to fall, and increases but to decay."

"As the blessings of health and fortune have a beginning, so they must also find an end. Everything rises but to fall, and increases but to decay."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Health, Beginning, Blessings, End

3

"There are moments when you feel free, moments when you have energy, moments when you have hope, but you can't rely on any of these things to see you through. Circumstances do that."

"There are moments when you feel free, moments when you have energy, moments when you have hope, but you can't rely on any of these things to see you through. Circumstances do that."

Anita Brookner, English Historian

Hope, Circumstances, Energy, Moments

3

"The genius of impeachment lay in the fact that it could punish the man without punishing the office."

"The genius of impeachment lay in the fact that it could punish the man without punishing the office."

Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., American Historian

Genius, Fact, Man, Office

3

"Everywhere among the English-speaking race criminal justice was rude, and punishments were barbarous; but the tendency was to do away with special privileges and legal exemptions."

"Everywhere among the English-speaking race criminal justice was rude, and punishments were barbarous; but the tendency was to do away with special privileges and legal exemptions."

Albert Bushnell Hart, American Historian

Legal, English, Justice, Race

3

"There is not a soul who does not have to beg alms of another, either a smile, a handshake, or a fond eye."

"There is not a soul who does not have to beg alms of another, either a smile, a handshake, or a fond eye."

Lord Acton, British Historian

Soul, Eye, Smile

3

"Like many rich men, he thought in anecdotes; like many simple women, she thought in terms of biography."

"Like many rich men, he thought in anecdotes; like many simple women, she thought in terms of biography."

Anita Brookner, English Historian

Man, Men, Women, Thought, Anecdotes

3

"That Rome was comparatively great and wealthy is certain."

"That Rome was comparatively great and wealthy is certain."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

3

"Americans have been taught that their nation is civilized and humane. But, too often, U.S. actions have been uncivilized and inhumane."

"Americans have been taught that their nation is civilized and humane. But, too often, U.S. actions have been uncivilized and inhumane."

Howard Zinn, American Historian

Action, Actions, Americans, Nation

3

"The facts of life are very stubborn things."

"The facts of life are very stubborn things."

Cleveland Amory, American Historian

3

"Say what you have to say in the fewest possible words."

"Say what you have to say in the fewest possible words."

Arthur Bryant, British Historian

Communication, Words

3

"Every one who has a heart, however ignorant of architecture he may be, feels the transcendent beauty and poetry of the mediaeval churches."

"Every one who has a heart, however ignorant of architecture he may be, feels the transcendent beauty and poetry of the mediaeval churches."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Architecture, Beauty, Poetry, Heart

3

"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

3

"History may be divided into three movements: what moves rapidly, what moves slowly and what appears not to move at all."

"History may be divided into three movements: what moves rapidly, what moves slowly and what appears not to move at all."

Fernand Braudel, French Historian

3

"Ostensibly rigorous and realistic, contemporary conservatism is an ideology of denial. Its symbol is a smile button."

"Ostensibly rigorous and realistic, contemporary conservatism is an ideology of denial. Its symbol is a smile button."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Politics, Conservatism, Denial, Ideology, Smile

3

"Something fundamental about the myth of the Jew has resurfaced."

"Something fundamental about the myth of the Jew has resurfaced."

Steven T. Katz, American Historian

3

"As history since Hiroshima shows, the best, perhaps the only, way to curb war is to deter it with such overwhelming force as to turn it from a struggle into suicide."

"As history since Hiroshima shows, the best, perhaps the only, way to curb war is to deter it with such overwhelming force as to turn it from a struggle into suicide."

Martin van Creveld, Israeli Historian

History, War, Force, Struggle

3

"Every action is seen to fall into one of three main categories, guarding, hitting, or moving. Here, then, are the elements of combat, whether in war or pugilism."

"Every action is seen to fall into one of three main categories, guarding, hitting, or moving. Here, then, are the elements of combat, whether in war or pugilism."

B. H. Liddell Hart, British Historian

3

"Greatness is so often a courteous synonym for great success."

"Greatness is so often a courteous synonym for great success."

Philip Guedalla, English Historian

Success, Greatness

3

"More emphasis was thus thrown upon the local governments than in England."

"More emphasis was thus thrown upon the local governments than in England."

Albert Bushnell Hart, American Historian

History, England

3

"Economic growth may one day turn out to be a curse rather than a good, and under no conditions can it either lead into freedom or constitute a proof for its existence."

"Economic growth may one day turn out to be a curse rather than a good, and under no conditions can it either lead into freedom or constitute a proof for its existence."

Hannah Arendt, German Historian

Growth, Day, Existence, Freedom

3

"We know these men are professionals whose services are up for bid and whose bags are packed, and yet we call them our own and take personal, even civic pride in their accomplishments."

"We know these men are professionals whose services are up for bid and whose bags are packed, and yet we call them our own and take personal, even civic pride in their accomplishments."

John Thorn, American Historian

Man, Men, Accomplishments, Pride, Professionals

3

"When you control a man's thinking you do not have to worry about his actions."

"When you control a man's thinking you do not have to worry about his actions."

Carter G. Woodson, American Historian

Control, Actions, Man, Thinking

3

"Sure the people are stupid: the human race is stupid. Sure Congress is an inefficient instrument of government. But the people are not stupid enough to abandon representative government for any other kind, including government by the guy who knows."

"Sure the people are stupid: the human race is stupid. Sure Congress is an inefficient instrument of government. But the people are not stupid enough to abandon representative government for any other kind, including government by the guy who knows."

Bernard Devoto, American Historian

Government, People, Congress, Race

3

"The difference is slight, to the influence of an author, whether he is read by 500 readers, or by five hundred thousand; if he can select the 500, he reaches the five hundred thousand."

"The difference is slight, to the influence of an author, whether he is read by 500 readers, or by five hundred thousand; if he can select the 500, he reaches the five hundred thousand."

Brooks Adams, American Historian

Difference, Influence

3

"I have written too much history to have faith in it; and if anyone thinks I'm wrong, I am inclined to agree with him."

"I have written too much history to have faith in it; and if anyone thinks I'm wrong, I am inclined to agree with him."

Henry Adams, American Historian

Faith, History, Wrong

3

"Dead battles, like dead generals, hold the military mind in their dead grip."

"Dead battles, like dead generals, hold the military mind in their dead grip."

Barbara Tuchman, American Historian

3

"We must also be permitted to bear in mind that evolution, though it may explain everything else, cannot explain itself."

"We must also be permitted to bear in mind that evolution, though it may explain everything else, cannot explain itself."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Philosophy, Evolution, May, Mind

3

"The pathetic almost always consists in the detail of little events."

"The pathetic almost always consists in the detail of little events."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Aesthetics, Detail, Events

3

"Nobody should teach anywhere for 25 years, but I did."

"Nobody should teach anywhere for 25 years, but I did."

John Keegan, English Historian

Education, Years

3

"As individuals and as a nation, we now suffer from social narcissism. The beloved Echo of our ancestors, the virgin America, has been abandoned. We have fallen in love with our own image, with images of our making, which turn out to be images of ourselves."

"As individuals and as a nation, we now suffer from social narcissism. The beloved Echo of our ancestors, the virgin America, has been abandoned. We have fallen in love with our own image, with images of our making, which turn out to be images of ourselves."

Daniel J. Boorstin, American Historian

Love, America, Echo, Nation

3

"There is not much that even the most socially responsible scientists can do as individuals, or even as a group, about the social consequences of their activities."

"There is not much that even the most socially responsible scientists can do as individuals, or even as a group, about the social consequences of their activities."

Eric Hobsbawm, British Historian

Consequence, Consequences, Scientists

3

"Heroism is endurance for one moment more."

"Heroism is endurance for one moment more."

George F. Kennan, American Historian

Heroism, Endurance

3

"To sum up the whole, we should say that the aim of the Platonic philosophy was to exalt man into a god."

"To sum up the whole, we should say that the aim of the Platonic philosophy was to exalt man into a god."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

God, Man, Philosophy

3

"Far from being the product of a democratic revolution and of an opposition to English institutions, the constitution of the United States was the result of a powerful reaction against democracy, and in favor of the traditions of the mother country."

"Far from being the product of a democratic revolution and of an opposition to English institutions, the constitution of the United States was the result of a powerful reaction against democracy, and in favor of the traditions of the mother country."

John Acton, English Historian

Family, Mother, Being, Constitution, Country

3

"The crusades made great improvement in the condition of the serfs."

"The crusades made great improvement in the condition of the serfs."

John Lothrop Motley, American Historian

3

"I heard Thackeray thank Heaven for the purity of Dickens. I thanked Heaven for the purity of a greater than Dickens - Thackeray himself."

"I heard Thackeray thank Heaven for the purity of Dickens. I thanked Heaven for the purity of a greater than Dickens - Thackeray himself."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

3

"We were now arrived at the close of our solitary journeyings along the St. Joseph's trail."

"We were now arrived at the close of our solitary journeyings along the St. Joseph's trail."

Francis Parkman, American Historian

3

"I was never able to convince myself that there was a cost-free alternative course, as from 1961, or that any of the different strategies since proposed, especially those involving stronger military action, would have made sense."

"I was never able to convince myself that there was a cost-free alternative course, as from 1961, or that any of the different strategies since proposed, especially those involving stronger military action, would have made sense."

William P. Bundy, American Historian

Action, Military, Sense

3

bottom of page