Quotes by Historian | Beyond Motive 22/27

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Quotes by Historian

"You have no idea how promising the world begins to look once you have decided to have it all for yourself. And how much healthier your decisions are once they become entirely selfish."

"You have no idea how promising the world begins to look once you have decided to have it all for yourself. And how much healthier your decisions are once they become entirely selfish."

Anita Brookner, English Historian

Creativity, Idea, Decisions, World

2

"Washington's character was rock solid. He came to stand for the new nation and its republican virtues, which was why he became our first President by unanimous choice."

"Washington's character was rock solid. He came to stand for the new nation and its republican virtues, which was why he became our first President by unanimous choice."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Character, Choice, First, Nation

2

"Fanaticism obliterates the feelings of humanity."

"Fanaticism obliterates the feelings of humanity."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Emotional, Feelings, Fanaticism, Humanity

2

"Historical methodology, as I see it, is a product of common sense applied to circumstances."

"Historical methodology, as I see it, is a product of common sense applied to circumstances."

Samuel E. Morison, American Historian

Circumstance, Circumstances, Commonsense

2

"The Indian Summer of life should be a little sunny and a little sad, like the season, and infinite in wealth and depth of tone, but never hustled."

"The Indian Summer of life should be a little sunny and a little sad, like the season, and infinite in wealth and depth of tone, but never hustled."

Henry Adams, American Historian

Life, Wealth, Infinite, Summer

2

"History had its own way of explaining things. The way historians explain things is by telling a story."

"History had its own way of explaining things. The way historians explain things is by telling a story."

Donald Kagan, American Historian

History, Historians

2

"The so-called modern education, with all its defects, however, does others so much more good than it does the Negro, because it has been worked out in conformity to the needs of those who have enslaved and oppressed weaker peoples."

"The so-called modern education, with all its defects, however, does others so much more good than it does the Negro, because it has been worked out in conformity to the needs of those who have enslaved and oppressed weaker peoples."

Carter G. Woodson, American Historian

Education, Conformity, Needs

2

"Give us the luxuries of life, and we will dispense with its necessaries."

"Give us the luxuries of life, and we will dispense with its necessaries."

John Lothrop Motley, American Historian

2

"From William of Orange to William Pitt the younger there was but one man without whom English history must have taken a different turn, and that was William Pitt the elder."

"From William of Orange to William Pitt the younger there was but one man without whom English history must have taken a different turn, and that was William Pitt the elder."

Albert Bushnell Hart, American Historian

History, English, Man

2

"Too rigid specialization is almost as bad for a historian's mind, and for his ultimate reputation, as too early an indulgence in broad generalization and synthesis."

"Too rigid specialization is almost as bad for a historian's mind, and for his ultimate reputation, as too early an indulgence in broad generalization and synthesis."

Samuel E. Morison, American Historian

Mind, Reputation

2

"Guerrilla war is a kind of war waged by the few but dependent on the support of many."

"Guerrilla war is a kind of war waged by the few but dependent on the support of many."

B. H. Liddell Hart, British Historian

2

"Man became free when he recognized that he was subject to law."

"Man became free when he recognized that he was subject to law."

Will Durant, American Historian

2

"Philosophy: Unintelligible answers to insoluble problems."

"Philosophy: Unintelligible answers to insoluble problems."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Answers, Problems

2

"Ideologies, however appealing, cannot shape the whole structure of perceptions and conduct unless they are embedded in daily experiences that confirm them."

"Ideologies, however appealing, cannot shape the whole structure of perceptions and conduct unless they are embedded in daily experiences that confirm them."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Politics, Perceptions

2

"A complacent satisfaction with present knowledge is the chief bar to the pursuit of knowledge."

"A complacent satisfaction with present knowledge is the chief bar to the pursuit of knowledge."

B. H. Liddell Hart, British Historian

Knowledge, Present, Pursuit, Satisfaction

2

"The question of the family now divides our society so deeply that the opposing sides cannot even agree on a definition of the institution they are arguing about."

"The question of the family now divides our society so deeply that the opposing sides cannot even agree on a definition of the institution they are arguing about."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Family, Society, Now, Question

2

"The accords were fig leaves of democratic procedure to hide the nakedness of Stalinist dictatorship."

"The accords were fig leaves of democratic procedure to hide the nakedness of Stalinist dictatorship."

George F. Kennan, American Historian

Politics, Dictatorship

2

"All experience is an arch, to build upon."

"All experience is an arch, to build upon."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

2

"The members of such a society consider that the transgression of a religious ordinance should be punished by civil penalties, and that the violation of a civil duty exposes the delinquent to divine correction."

"The members of such a society consider that the transgression of a religious ordinance should be punished by civil penalties, and that the violation of a civil duty exposes the delinquent to divine correction."

Henry James Sumner Maine, English Historian

Society, Correction, Duty, Religious

2

"Great writers are the saints for the godless."

"Great writers are the saints for the godless."

Anita Brookner, English Historian

Literature, Saints, Writers

2

"The Romans, we are told, were by nature a peculiarly warlike race."

"The Romans, we are told, were by nature a peculiarly warlike race."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

2

"A sign of celebrity is that his name is often worth more than his services."

"A sign of celebrity is that his name is often worth more than his services."

Daniel J. Boorstin, American Historian

Fame, Celebrity, Name, Worth

2

"To me history ought to be a source of pleasure. It isn't just part of our civic responsibility. To me it's an enlargement of the experience of being alive, just the way literature or art or music is."

"To me history ought to be a source of pleasure. It isn't just part of our civic responsibility. To me it's an enlargement of the experience of being alive, just the way literature or art or music is."

David McCullough, American Historian

Art, Experience, History, Music

2

"Universal orthodoxy is enriched by every new discovery of truth: what at first appeared universal, by wishing to stand still, sooner or later becomes a sect."

"Universal orthodoxy is enriched by every new discovery of truth: what at first appeared universal, by wishing to stand still, sooner or later becomes a sect."

Edgar Quinet, French Historian

Discovery, First, Wishing

2

"Human improvement is from within outward."

"Human improvement is from within outward."

James Anthony Froude, English Historian

Progress, Improvement

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."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Friendship, Life, Thought, Community

2

"The principles of a free constitution are irrecoverably lost, when the legislative power is nominated by the executive."

"The principles of a free constitution are irrecoverably lost, when the legislative power is nominated by the executive."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Power, Constitution, Principles

2

"I was taught by professors who had done their schooling in the 1930s. Most of them were scornful of, even hated, big business."

"I was taught by professors who had done their schooling in the 1930s. Most of them were scornful of, even hated, big business."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

2

"Poets are the only people to whom love is not only a crucial, but an indispensable experience, which entitles them to mistake it for a universal one."

"Poets are the only people to whom love is not only a crucial, but an indispensable experience, which entitles them to mistake it for a universal one."

Hannah Arendt, German Historian

Love, Experience, Mistake, People

2

"In our so-called democracy we are accustomed to give the majority what they want rather than educate them to understand what is best for them."

"In our so-called democracy we are accustomed to give the majority what they want rather than educate them to understand what is best for them."

Carter G. Woodson, American Historian

Democracy, Majority, Want

2

"No man underestimates the wrongs he suffers; many take them more seriously than is right."

"No man underestimates the wrongs he suffers; many take them more seriously than is right."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Man, Right, Wrongs

2

"Nixon regarded himself as having been cheated by life. He never got my vote."

"Nixon regarded himself as having been cheated by life. He never got my vote."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Life, Nixon, Vote

2

"Big media companies have lots of money and content, but they have no way to tap into a good base of users."

"Big media companies have lots of money and content, but they have no way to tap into a good base of users."

Michael King, New Zealander Historian

Money, Content, Media, Newzealander

2

"Beauty is an outward gift which is seldom despised, except by those to whom it has been refused."

"Beauty is an outward gift which is seldom despised, except by those to whom it has been refused."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

2

"Not a breath of air stirred over the free and open prairie; the clouds were like light piles of cotton; and where the blue sky was visible, it wore a hazy and languid aspect."

"Not a breath of air stirred over the free and open prairie; the clouds were like light piles of cotton; and where the blue sky was visible, it wore a hazy and languid aspect."

Francis Parkman, American Historian

Climate, Clouds, Light, Open, Sky

2

"I'm very aware how many distractions the reader has in life today, how many good reasons there are to put the book down."

"I'm very aware how many distractions the reader has in life today, how many good reasons there are to put the book down."

David McCullough, American Historian

2

"With the Germans, the sovereignty resided in the great assembly of the people."

"With the Germans, the sovereignty resided in the great assembly of the people."

John Lothrop Motley, American Historian

2

"The attempt to redefine the family as a purely voluntary arrangement grows out of the modern delusion that people can keep all their options open all the time."

"The attempt to redefine the family as a purely voluntary arrangement grows out of the modern delusion that people can keep all their options open all the time."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Family, Time, People, Delusion

2

"But if anyone supposes that there was no commercial fraud in the Middle Ages, let him study the commercial legislation of England for that period, and his mind will be satisfied, if he has a mind to be satisfied and not only a fancy to run away with him."

"But if anyone supposes that there was no commercial fraud in the Middle Ages, let him study the commercial legislation of England for that period, and his mind will be satisfied, if he has a mind to be satisfied and not only a fancy to run away with him."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

History, Englfancy, Fraud, Legislation, Mind

2

"It will be a pity if women in the more conventional mould are to be phased out, for there will never be anyone to go home to."

"It will be a pity if women in the more conventional mould are to be phased out, for there will never be anyone to go home to."

Anita Brookner, English Historian

Home, Women, Pity, Will

2

"Nature has never read the Declaration of Independence. It continues to make us unequal."

"Nature has never read the Declaration of Independence. It continues to make us unequal."

Will Durant, American Historian

Nature, Independence

2

"The more business one has, the more you are able to accomplish, for you learn to economize your time."

"The more business one has, the more you are able to accomplish, for you learn to economize your time."

Matthew Hale, British Historian

2

"Most people no longer live in nuclear families at all."

"Most people no longer live in nuclear families at all."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

2

"In the future as in the past, both Clausewitz and Sun Tzu will undoubtedly have a lot to offer."

"In the future as in the past, both Clausewitz and Sun Tzu will undoubtedly have a lot to offer."

Martin van Creveld, Israeli Historian

Future, Past, Sun, Will

2

"And, finally, Lincoln was not a good impromptu speaker; he was at his best when he could read from a carefully prepared manuscript. Though maybe a teleprompter could have helped that!"

"And, finally, Lincoln was not a good impromptu speaker; he was at his best when he could read from a carefully prepared manuscript. Though maybe a teleprompter could have helped that!"

David Herbert Donald, American Historian

2

"We are fans because the game also appeals to our local pride, our pleasure in thinking of ourselves as, yes, Americans but nonetheless different from residents of other towns, other states, other regions."

"We are fans because the game also appeals to our local pride, our pleasure in thinking of ourselves as, yes, Americans but nonetheless different from residents of other towns, other states, other regions."

John Thorn, American Historian

Sports, Americans, Fans, Pleasure, Pride

2

"Censorship always defeats it own purpose, for it creates in the end the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion."

"Censorship always defeats it own purpose, for it creates in the end the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion."

Henry Steele Commager, American Historian

Society, Purpose, Censorship, Discretion

2

"The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes "sight-seeing.""

"The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes "sight-seeing.""

Daniel J. Boorstin, American Historian

Experience, People, Adventure

2

"Philosophy goes no further than probabilities, and in every assertion keeps a doubt in reserve."

"Philosophy goes no further than probabilities, and in every assertion keeps a doubt in reserve."

James Anthony Froude, English Historian

Doubt, Philosophy

2

"She thoroughly understands what no other Church has ever understood, how to deal with enthusiasts."

"She thoroughly understands what no other Church has ever understood, how to deal with enthusiasts."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

2

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