Quotes by Historian | Beyond Motive 15/27

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Quotes by Historian

"And so while the great ones depart to their dinner, the secretary stays, growing thinner and thinner, racking his brain to record and report what he thinks that they think that they ought to have thought."

"And so while the great ones depart to their dinner, the secretary stays, growing thinner and thinner, racking his brain to record and report what he thinks that they think that they ought to have thought."

Arthur Bryant, British Historian

3

"Power is poison. Its effect on Presidents had always been tragic."

"Power is poison. Its effect on Presidents had always been tragic."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Power, Effect, Poison

3

"A racing tipster who only reached Hitler's level of accuracy would not do well for his clients."

"A racing tipster who only reached Hitler's level of accuracy would not do well for his clients."

A. J. P. Taylor, British Historian

Gambling, Accuracy, Clients, Racing

3

"If the past has been an obstacle and a burden, knowledge of the past is the safest and the surest emancipation."

"If the past has been an obstacle and a burden, knowledge of the past is the safest and the surest emancipation."

John Acton, English Historian

Knowledge, Burden, Past

3

"The pull, the attraction of history, is in our human nature. What makes us tick? Why do we do what we do? How much is luck the deciding factor?"

"The pull, the attraction of history, is in our human nature. What makes us tick? Why do we do what we do? How much is luck the deciding factor?"

David McCullough, American Historian

History, Nature, Humannature, Luck

3

"The object of oratory alone in not truth, but persuasion."

"The object of oratory alone in not truth, but persuasion."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

Truth, Oratory, Persuasion

3

"The Romans had been able to post their laws on boards in public places, confidant that enough literate people existed to read them; far into the Middle Ages, even kings remained illiterate."

"The Romans had been able to post their laws on boards in public places, confidant that enough literate people existed to read them; far into the Middle Ages, even kings remained illiterate."

J. M. Roberts, British Historian

People, Kings, Laws, Post

3

"We know something of the history of the spread of Christianity, but much passed from recorded memory and much was transmitted by tradition whose accuracy has been repeatedly questioned."

"We know something of the history of the spread of Christianity, but much passed from recorded memory and much was transmitted by tradition whose accuracy has been repeatedly questioned."

Kenneth Scott Latourette, American Historian

History, Christianity, Accuracy, Memory

3

"The very concept of history implies the scholar and the reader. Without a generation of civilized people to study history, to preserve its records, to absorb its lessons and relate them to its own problems, history, too, would lose its meaning."

"The very concept of history implies the scholar and the reader. Without a generation of civilized people to study history, to preserve its records, to absorb its lessons and relate them to its own problems, history, too, would lose its meaning."

George F. Kennan, American Historian

History, People, Meaning, Problems

3

"For many of us, sport has provided the continuity in our lives, the alternative family to the one we left behind. It gives us something to talk about, to preen about, to care about."

"For many of us, sport has provided the continuity in our lives, the alternative family to the one we left behind. It gives us something to talk about, to preen about, to care about."

John Thorn, American Historian

Family, Care, Talk

3

"Ignorance is bold and knowledge reserved."

"Ignorance is bold and knowledge reserved."

Thucydides, Greek Historian

Knowledge, Ignorance

3

"Culture must have its ultimate aim in the metaphysical or it will cease to be culture."

"Culture must have its ultimate aim in the metaphysical or it will cease to be culture."

Johan Huizinga, Dutch Historian

Cultural, Culture, Will

3

"Machiavelli's teaching would hardly have stood the test of Parliamentary government, for public discussion demands at least the profession of good faith."

"Machiavelli's teaching would hardly have stood the test of Parliamentary government, for public discussion demands at least the profession of good faith."

Lord Acton, British Historian

Faith, Government, Profession, Public

3

"Kings are more prone to mistrust the good than the bad; and they are always afraid of the virtues of others."

"Kings are more prone to mistrust the good than the bad; and they are always afraid of the virtues of others."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Politics, Kings, Mistrust

3

"The work of Henry James has always seemed divisible by a simple dynastic arrangement into three reigns: James I, James II, and the Old Pretender."

"The work of Henry James has always seemed divisible by a simple dynastic arrangement into three reigns: James I, James II, and the Old Pretender."

Philip Guedalla, English Historian

3

"Conversation enriches the understanding, but solitude is the school of genius."

"Conversation enriches the understanding, but solitude is the school of genius."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Genius, Conversation, School, Solitude

3

"I was myself brought up with my brother, whose name was Matthias, for he was my own brother, by both father and mother; and I made mighty proficiency in the improvements of my learning, and appeared to have both a great memory and understanding."

"I was myself brought up with my brother, whose name was Matthias, for he was my own brother, by both father and mother; and I made mighty proficiency in the improvements of my learning, and appeared to have both a great memory and understanding."

Flavius Josephus, Roman Historian

Family, Mother, Father, Brother, Learning

3

"As to London we must console ourselves with the thought that if life outside is less poetic than it was in the days of old, inwardly its poetry is much deeper."

"As to London we must console ourselves with the thought that if life outside is less poetic than it was in the days of old, inwardly its poetry is much deeper."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Life, Poetry, Thought, London

3

"There is nothing more foolish, nothing more given to outrage than a useless mob."

"There is nothing more foolish, nothing more given to outrage than a useless mob."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Society, Mob, Nothing

3

"We see many who are struggling against adversity who are happy, and more although abounding in wealth, who are wretched."

"We see many who are struggling against adversity who are happy, and more although abounding in wealth, who are wretched."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Wealth, Adversity

3

"We are part of a country that outshines those that have gone before us and most of those in existence today."

"We are part of a country that outshines those that have gone before us and most of those in existence today."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Nation, Country, Existence, Today

3

"I think the reason working-class people don't write books is because they are encouraged to believe that only certain people are permitted to write books."

"I think the reason working-class people don't write books is because they are encouraged to believe that only certain people are permitted to write books."

Len Deighton, British Historian

People, Books, Reason

3

"We also learn that this country and the Western world have no monopoly of goodness and truth and scholarship, we begin to appreciate the ingredients that are indispensable to making a better world. In a life of learning that is, perhaps, the greatest lesson of all."

"We also learn that this country and the Western world have no monopoly of goodness and truth and scholarship, we begin to appreciate the ingredients that are indispensable to making a better world. In a life of learning that is, perhaps, the greatest lesson of all."

John Hope Franklin, American Historian

Life, Truth, Country, Goodness

3

"Simplicity is the most deceitful mistress that ever betrayed man."

"Simplicity is the most deceitful mistress that ever betrayed man."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Man, Simplicity

3

"Neither Johnson nor his party nor the government as a whole were willing to raise, train, equip, and then send Vietnam sufficient manpower to do the job."

"Neither Johnson nor his party nor the government as a whole were willing to raise, train, equip, and then send Vietnam sufficient manpower to do the job."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Government, Job, Party, Vietnam

3

"I just thank my father and mother, my lucky stars, that I had the advantage of an education in the humanities."

"I just thank my father and mother, my lucky stars, that I had the advantage of an education in the humanities."

David McCullough, American Historian

Education, Mother, Father, Stars

3

"Our sense of worth, of well-being, even our sanity depends upon our remembering. But, alas, our sense of worth, our well-being, our sanity also depend upon our forgetting."

"Our sense of worth, of well-being, even our sanity depends upon our remembering. But, alas, our sense of worth, our well-being, our sanity also depend upon our forgetting."

Joyce Appleby, American Historian

Sanity, Sense, Worth

3

"Candor and generosity, unless tempered by due moderation, leads to ruin."

"Candor and generosity, unless tempered by due moderation, leads to ruin."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Moderation, Candor, Generosity, Ruin

3

"Fortune blinds men when she does not wish them to withstand the violence of her onslaughts."

"Fortune blinds men when she does not wish them to withstand the violence of her onslaughts."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Man, Men, Fortune, Violence

3

"The left has lost touch with popular opinion, thereby making it possible for the right to present itself as the party of common sense."

"The left has lost touch with popular opinion, thereby making it possible for the right to present itself as the party of common sense."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Commonsense, Opinion, Party, Popular

3

"Above all nations is humanity."

"Above all nations is humanity."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Humanity, Nations

3

"The best thing we can do if we want the Russians to let us be Americans is to let the Russians be Russian."

"The best thing we can do if we want the Russians to let us be Americans is to let the Russians be Russian."

George F. Kennan, American Historian

Politics, Americans, Want

3

"In real life, of course, it is the hare that wins. Every time. Look around you."

"In real life, of course, it is the hare that wins. Every time. Look around you."

Anita Brookner, English Historian

3

"There are the manufacturing multitudes of England; they must have work, and find markets for their work; if machines and the Black Country are ugly, famine would be uglier still."

"There are the manufacturing multitudes of England; they must have work, and find markets for their work; if machines and the Black Country are ugly, famine would be uglier still."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Work, Country, Englfamine, Machines

3

"The celebrity is a person who is known for his well-knownness."

"The celebrity is a person who is known for his well-knownness."

Daniel J. Boorstin, American Historian

Fame, Celebrity

3

"The Law of Triviality... briefly stated, it means that the time spent on any item of the agenda will be in inverse proportion to the sum involved."

"The Law of Triviality... briefly stated, it means that the time spent on any item of the agenda will be in inverse proportion to the sum involved."

C. Northcote Parkinson, British Historian

Time, Law, Will

3

"Writing novels preserves you in a state of innocence - a lot passes you by - simply because your attention is otherwise diverted."

"Writing novels preserves you in a state of innocence - a lot passes you by - simply because your attention is otherwise diverted."

Anita Brookner, English Historian

Attention, Innocence, State, Writing

3

"The poet laureate of England talked about murdering Jews on the West Bank."

"The poet laureate of England talked about murdering Jews on the West Bank."

Steven T. Katz, American Historian

Politics, England

3

"The gods loves to punish whatever is greater than the rest."

"The gods loves to punish whatever is greater than the rest."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

God, Gods, Rest

3

"The repudiation of the primacy of understanding means the repudiation of the norms of judgment as well, and hence the abandonment of all ethical standards."

"The repudiation of the primacy of understanding means the repudiation of the norms of judgment as well, and hence the abandonment of all ethical standards."

Johan Huizinga, Dutch Historian

Judgment, Understanding

3

"Whatever things may have been in their origin, they are what they are, both in themselves and in regard to their indications respecting other beings or influences the existence of which may be implied in theirs."

"Whatever things may have been in their origin, they are what they are, both in themselves and in regard to their indications respecting other beings or influences the existence of which may be implied in theirs."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

3

"Helplessness induces hopelessness, and history attests that loss of hope and not loss of lives is what decides the issue of war."

"Helplessness induces hopelessness, and history attests that loss of hope and not loss of lives is what decides the issue of war."

B. H. Liddell Hart, British Historian

History, War, Hope, Loss

3

"It is evident that in the period designated as that of the kings, when Rome commenced her career of conquest, she was, for that time and country, a great and wealthy city."

"It is evident that in the period designated as that of the kings, when Rome commenced her career of conquest, she was, for that time and country, a great and wealthy city."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Time, Career, Conquest, Country

3

"The sword - the first, for a time the only force: the force of iron."

"The sword - the first, for a time the only force: the force of iron."

John Lothrop Motley, American Historian

Time, First, Force

3

"Toil and pleasure, dissimilar in nature, are nevertheless united by a certain natural bond."

"Toil and pleasure, dissimilar in nature, are nevertheless united by a certain natural bond."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Nature, Pleasure, United

3

"All men's gains are the fruit of venturing."

"All men's gains are the fruit of venturing."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

3

"The more violent the body contact of the sports you watch, the lower the class."

"The more violent the body contact of the sports you watch, the lower the class."

Paul Fussell, American Historian

Sports, Body, Class

3

"Anger is a momentary madness, so control your passion or it will control you."

"Anger is a momentary madness, so control your passion or it will control you."

G. M. Trevelyan, English Historian

Anger, Control, Madness, Passion

3

"The reader need not be told that John Bull never leaves home without encumbering himself with the greatest possible load of luggage. Our companions were no exception to the rule."

"The reader need not be told that John Bull never leaves home without encumbering himself with the greatest possible load of luggage. Our companions were no exception to the rule."

Francis Parkman, American Historian

3

"I write to discover what I think. After all, the bars aren't open that early."

"I write to discover what I think. After all, the bars aren't open that early."

Daniel J. Boorstin, American Historian

3

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