Quotes by Historian | Beyond Motive 18/27

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Quotes by Historian

"I'm no politician. I'm an historian who has learned through a lifetime of studying that nothing in the world beats universal education."

"I'm no politician. I'm an historian who has learned through a lifetime of studying that nothing in the world beats universal education."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Education, Nothing, World

2

"But the dream is never forgotten, only put aside and never out of reach: Where once the dream connected boys with the world of men, now it reconnects men with the spirit of boys."

"But the dream is never forgotten, only put aside and never out of reach: Where once the dream connected boys with the world of men, now it reconnects men with the spirit of boys."

John Thorn, American Historian

Man, Men, Dream, Boys, Now

2

"One sometimes feels a guest of one's time and not a member of its household."

"One sometimes feels a guest of one's time and not a member of its household."

George F. Kennan, American Historian

2

"When the state is most corrupt, then the laws are most multiplied."

"When the state is most corrupt, then the laws are most multiplied."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Law, Laws, State

2

"I don't care tuppence whether I'm forced into a leadership position or not. I'd much sooner not."

"I don't care tuppence whether I'm forced into a leadership position or not. I'd much sooner not."

E. P. Thompson, British Historian

Leadership, Care

2

"Luck is of little moment to the great general, for it is under the control of his intellect and his judgment."

"Luck is of little moment to the great general, for it is under the control of his intellect and his judgment."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Control, Intellect, Judgment, Luck

2

"History can predict nothing except that great changes in human relationships will never come about in the form in which they have been anticipated."

"History can predict nothing except that great changes in human relationships will never come about in the form in which they have been anticipated."

Johan Huizinga, Dutch Historian

History, Nothing, Relationships, Will

2

"I would rather be poor in a cottage full of books than a king without the desire to read."

"I would rather be poor in a cottage full of books than a king without the desire to read."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

Books, Desire, Poor

2

"Many difficulties which nature throws in our way, may be smoothed away by the exercise of intelligence."

"Many difficulties which nature throws in our way, may be smoothed away by the exercise of intelligence."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Intelligence, Nature, Difficulties, Exercise

2

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

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

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

2

"The best government rests on the people, and not on the few, on persons and not on property, on the free development of public opinion and not on authority."

"The best government rests on the people, and not on the few, on persons and not on property, on the free development of public opinion and not on authority."

George Bancroft, American Historian

Government, People, Development, Authority

2

"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

2

"The political machine triumphs because it is a united minority acting against a divided majority."

"The political machine triumphs because it is a united minority acting against a divided majority."

Will Durant, American Historian

Acting, Machine, Majority, Minority

2

"Power when wielded by abnormal energy is the most serious of facts."

"Power when wielded by abnormal energy is the most serious of facts."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Power, Energy, Facts

2

"Thus the whole country was broken into many shreds and patches of sovereignty."

"Thus the whole country was broken into many shreds and patches of sovereignty."

John Lothrop Motley, American Historian

Nation, Country

2

"Immigrants do more than help us win our wars, or set up cleaning shops or ethnic restaurants."

"Immigrants do more than help us win our wars, or set up cleaning shops or ethnic restaurants."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Help, Restaurants, Shops

2

"The man whose life is devoted to paperwork has lost the initiative. He is dealing with things that are brought to his notice, having ceased to notice anything for himself."

"The man whose life is devoted to paperwork has lost the initiative. He is dealing with things that are brought to his notice, having ceased to notice anything for himself."

C. Northcote Parkinson, British Historian

2

"The prophets and the writers of the Psalms were clear that God was continuing to work in the universe and in all history. They declared that He had created the universe."

"The prophets and the writers of the Psalms were clear that God was continuing to work in the universe and in all history. They declared that He had created the universe."

Kenneth Scott Latourette, American Historian

Work, History, God, Universe

2

"One friend in a lifetime is much; two are many; three are hardly possible. Friendship needs a certain parallelism of life, a community of thought, a rivalry of aim."

"One friend in a lifetime is much; two are many; three are hardly possible. Friendship needs a certain parallelism of life, a community of thought, a rivalry of aim."

Brooks Adams, American Historian

Friendship, Life, Thought, Community

2

"Books are those faithful mirrors that reflect to our mind the minds of sages and heroes."

"Books are those faithful mirrors that reflect to our mind the minds of sages and heroes."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Books, Heroes, Mind

2

"Science is Christian, not when it condemns itself to the letter of things, but when, in the infinitely little, it discovers as many mysteries and as much depth and power as in the infinitely great."

"Science is Christian, not when it condemns itself to the letter of things, but when, in the infinitely little, it discovers as many mysteries and as much depth and power as in the infinitely great."

Edgar Quinet, French Historian

Power, Science, Christian

2

"Do as much as possible, and talk of yourself as little as possible."

"Do as much as possible, and talk of yourself as little as possible."

Sallust, Roman Historian

2

"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

2

"I'm drawn particularly to stories that evolve out of the character of the protagonist."

"I'm drawn particularly to stories that evolve out of the character of the protagonist."

David McCullough, American Historian

2

"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

2

"People are so helpful. People will stop what they're doing to show you something, to walk with you through a section of the town, or explain how a suspension bridge really works."

"People are so helpful. People will stop what they're doing to show you something, to walk with you through a section of the town, or explain how a suspension bridge really works."

David McCullough, American Historian

2

"Nowhere are our calculations more frequently upset than in war."

"Nowhere are our calculations more frequently upset than in war."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

War, Calculations

2

"He was what I often think is a dangerous thing for a statesman to be - a student of history; and like most of those who study history, he learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones."

"He was what I often think is a dangerous thing for a statesman to be - a student of history; and like most of those who study history, he learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones."

A. J. P. Taylor, British Historian

History, Mistakes, Past, Study

2

"In fact, the confidence of the people is worth more than money."

"In fact, the confidence of the people is worth more than money."

Carter G. Woodson, American Historian

Money, People, Confidence, Fact

2

"Because politics rests on an irreducible measure of coercion, it can never become a perfect realm of perfect love and justice."

"Because politics rests on an irreducible measure of coercion, it can never become a perfect realm of perfect love and justice."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Love, Politics, Justice, Measure

2

"Superior strength is found in the long run to lie with those who had right on their side."

"Superior strength is found in the long run to lie with those who had right on their side."

James Anthony Froude, English Historian

Strength, Lie, Right

2

"Abuse if you slight it, will gradually die away; but if you show yourself irritated, you will be thought to have deserved it."

"Abuse if you slight it, will gradually die away; but if you show yourself irritated, you will be thought to have deserved it."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Thought, Abuse, Will

2

"No harm's done to history by making it something someone would want to read."

"No harm's done to history by making it something someone would want to read."

David McCullough, American Historian

History, Harm, Want

2

"In Europe art has to a large degree taken the place of religion. In America it seems rather to be science."

"In Europe art has to a large degree taken the place of religion. In America it seems rather to be science."

Johan Huizinga, Dutch Historian

Art, Science, Religion, America

2

"The smaller the function, the greater the management."

"The smaller the function, the greater the management."

C. Northcote Parkinson, British Historian

2

"The fears of one class of men are not the measure of the rights of another."

"The fears of one class of men are not the measure of the rights of another."

George Bancroft, American Historian

Man, Men, Class, Rights, Measure

2

"Even before Watergate and his resignation, Nixon had inspired conflicting and passionate emotions."

"Even before Watergate and his resignation, Nixon had inspired conflicting and passionate emotions."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Emotional, Emotions, Nixon, Resignation

2

"Play is a uniquely adaptive act, not subordinate to some other adaptive act, but with a special function of its own in human experience."

"Play is a uniquely adaptive act, not subordinate to some other adaptive act, but with a special function of its own in human experience."

Johan Huizinga, Dutch Historian

Experience, Act, Play

2

"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

2

"He only seems to me to live, and to make proper use of life, who sets himself some serious work to do, and seeks the credit of a task well and skillfully performed."

"He only seems to me to live, and to make proper use of life, who sets himself some serious work to do, and seeks the credit of a task well and skillfully performed."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Life, Work, Credit

2

"Contention is inseparable from creating knowledge. It is not contention we should try to avoid, but discourses that attempt to suppress contention."

"Contention is inseparable from creating knowledge. It is not contention we should try to avoid, but discourses that attempt to suppress contention."

Joyce Appleby, American Historian

Knowledge, Contention

2

"Friends are born, not made."

"Friends are born, not made."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Friendship, Friends

2

"We can't put up a protectionist dam on our own against the neo-liberal world market either. However, we can try, together with our European partners, to maintain the social character of Europe as much as possible."

"We can't put up a protectionist dam on our own against the neo-liberal world market either. However, we can try, together with our European partners, to maintain the social character of Europe as much as possible."

Johan Huizinga, Dutch Historian

Character, Europe, World

2

"If Liberia has failed, then, it is no evidence of the failure of the Negro in government. It is merely evidence of the failure of slavery."

"If Liberia has failed, then, it is no evidence of the failure of the Negro in government. It is merely evidence of the failure of slavery."

Carter G. Woodson, American Historian

Government, Failure, Slavery

2

"Only on the edge of the grave can man conclude anything."

"Only on the edge of the grave can man conclude anything."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Conclusion, Grave, Man

2

"The true call of a Christian is not to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way."

"The true call of a Christian is not to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way."

Dean Stanley, British Historian

2

"Who can doubt that between the English and the French, between the Scotch and the Irish, there are differences of character which have profoundly affected and still affect the course of history?"

"Who can doubt that between the English and the French, between the Scotch and the Irish, there are differences of character which have profoundly affected and still affect the course of history?"

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

History, Character, Doubt, English

2

"No man likes to have his intelligence or good faith questioned, especially if he has doubts about it himself."

"No man likes to have his intelligence or good faith questioned, especially if he has doubts about it himself."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Faith, Intelligence, Man

2

"Those most moved to tears by every word of a preacher are generally weak and a rascal when the feelings evaporate."

"Those most moved to tears by every word of a preacher are generally weak and a rascal when the feelings evaporate."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Emotional, Feelings, Tears, Word

2

"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

2

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