Quotes by Historian | Beyond Motive 26/35

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Quotes by Historian

"Dishonesty is so grasping it would deceive God himself, were it possible."

"Dishonesty is so grasping it would deceive God himself, were it possible."

George Bancroft, American Historian

God, Dishonesty

26

"I wrote as a very angry young man, believing he was going to be killed in a world war."

"I wrote as a very angry young man, believing he was going to be killed in a world war."

John Edward Christopher Hill, English Historian

War, Man, World, Worldwar

26

"When liberty becomes license, dictatorship is near."

"When liberty becomes license, dictatorship is near."

Will Durant, American Historian

Philosophy, Dictatorship, Liberty

26

"There is hardly an absurdity of the past that cannot be found flourishing somewhere in the present. Underneath all civilization, ancient or modern, moved and still moves a sea of magic, superstition and sorcery. Perhaps they will remain when the works of our reason have passed away."

"There is hardly an absurdity of the past that cannot be found flourishing somewhere in the present. Underneath all civilization, ancient or modern, moved and still moves a sea of magic, superstition and sorcery. Perhaps they will remain when the works of our reason have passed away."

Will Durant, American Historian

History, Absurdity, Civilization, Magic, Superstition

26

"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

26

"All science is a charted ignorance and belongs to Maya."

"All science is a charted ignorance and belongs to Maya."

Will Durant, American Historian

Science, Knowledge, Observation, Truth

26

"The news appeals to the same jaded appetite that makes a child tire of a toy as soon as it becomes familiar and demand a new one in its place."

"The news appeals to the same jaded appetite that makes a child tire of a toy as soon as it becomes familiar and demand a new one in its place."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

News, Appetite, Jaded

26

"The most important American addition to the World Experience was the simple surprising fact of America. We have helped prepare mankind for all its later surprises."

"The most important American addition to the World Experience was the simple surprising fact of America. We have helped prepare mankind for all its later surprises."

Daniel J. Boorstin, American Historian

Experience, America, Fact

26

"History is an excellent teacher with few pupils."

"History is an excellent teacher with few pupils."

Will Durant, American Historian

History, Learning, Wisdom, Observation

26

"The most interesting thing in the world is another human being who wonders, suffers and raises the questions that have bothered him to the last day of his life, knowing he will never get the answers."

"The most interesting thing in the world is another human being who wonders, suffers and raises the questions that have bothered him to the last day of his life, knowing he will never get the answers."

Will Durant, American Historian

Life, Answers, Being, Day

26

"A wife's loyalty is tested when her husband has nothing. A husband's loyalty is tested when he has everything."

"A wife's loyalty is tested when her husband has nothing. A husband's loyalty is tested when he has everything."

Habeeb Akande, British Historian

Relationship, Loyalty, Truth, Wisdom

26

"Almost all people have this potential for evil, which would be unleashed only under certain dangerous social circumstances."

"Almost all people have this potential for evil, which would be unleashed only under certain dangerous social circumstances."

Iris Chang, Chinese Historian

People, Circumstances, Evil, Potential

26

"Education... has produced a vast population able to read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading."

"Education... has produced a vast population able to read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading."

G. M. Trevelyan, English Historian

Education, Population, Reading, Worth

26

"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

26

"Every civilization is a fruit from the sturdy tree of barbarism, and falls at the greatest distance from its trunk."

"Every civilization is a fruit from the sturdy tree of barbarism, and falls at the greatest distance from its trunk."

Will Durant, American Historian

History, Civilization, Reflection, Observation

26

"So I have cultivated the vast garden of human experience which is history, without troubling myself overmuch about laws, essential first causes, or how it is all coming out."

"So I have cultivated the vast garden of human experience which is history, without troubling myself overmuch about laws, essential first causes, or how it is all coming out."

Samuel E. Morison, American Historian

Experience, History, Causes, First

26

"Avarice is the vice of declining years."

"Avarice is the vice of declining years."

George Bancroft, American Historian

Emotional, Vice, Years

26

"A religion so cheerless, a philosophy so sorrowful, could never have succeeded with the masses of mankind if presented only as a system of metaphysics. Buddhism owed its success to its catholic spirit and its beautiful morality."

"A religion so cheerless, a philosophy so sorrowful, could never have succeeded with the masses of mankind if presented only as a system of metaphysics. Buddhism owed its success to its catholic spirit and its beautiful morality."

William Winwood Reade, Scottish Historian

Religion, Success, Morality, Buddhism

26

"A righteous husband is a responsible husband."

"A righteous husband is a responsible husband."

Habeeb Akande, British Historian

Relationship, Marriage, Righteousness, Responsibility, Character

26

"Democracy is not about making speeches. It is about making committees work."

"Democracy is not about making speeches. It is about making committees work."

Alan Bullock, British Historian

Work, Democracy

26

"A superstition which pretends to be scientific creates a much greater confusion of thought than one which contents itself with simple popular practices."

"A superstition which pretends to be scientific creates a much greater confusion of thought than one which contents itself with simple popular practices."

Johan Huizinga, Dutch Historian

Thought, Confusion, Popular, Superstition

26

"A successful man is like a bottle of wine, just gets better with age."

"A successful man is like a bottle of wine, just gets better with age."

Habeeb Akande, British Historian

Success, Growth, Truth, Wisdom, Aging

26

"Embrace the pain to inherit the gain."

"Embrace the pain to inherit the gain."

Habeeb Akande, British Historian

Resilience, Pain, Truth, Wisdom, Observation

26

"Never mind your happiness do your duty."

"Never mind your happiness do your duty."

Will Durant, American Historian

Morality, Duty, Happiness, Responsibility, Truth

26

"People who jump to conclusions rarely alight on them."

"People who jump to conclusions rarely alight on them."

Philip Guedalla, English Historian

26

"I have two doctors, my left leg and my right."

"I have two doctors, my left leg and my right."

G. M. Trevelyan, English Historian

Health, Doctors, Right

26

"Women are pleasured treasures."

"Women are pleasured treasures."

Habeeb Akande, British Historian

Love, Women, Beauty, Happiness, Truth

26

"Time misspent in youth is sometimes all the freedom one ever has."

"Time misspent in youth is sometimes all the freedom one ever has."

Anita Brookner, English Historian

Time, Freedom, Youth

26

"The force of the advertising word and image dwarfs the power of other literature in the 20th century."

"The force of the advertising word and image dwarfs the power of other literature in the 20th century."

Daniel J. Boorstin, American Historian

Power, Advertising, Force, Literature

26

"Christianity emerged from the religion of Israel. Or rather, it has as its background a persistent strain in that religion. To that strain Christians have looked back, and rightly, as the preparation in history for their faith."

"Christianity emerged from the religion of Israel. Or rather, it has as its background a persistent strain in that religion. To that strain Christians have looked back, and rightly, as the preparation in history for their faith."

Kenneth Scott Latourette, American Historian

Faith, History, Religion, Christianity

25

"The West is now closed."

"The West is now closed."

Frederick Jackson Turner, American Historian

25

"Nature smiles at the union of freedom and equality in our utopias. For freedom and equality are sworn and everlasting enemies, and when one prevails the other dies."

"Nature smiles at the union of freedom and equality in our utopias. For freedom and equality are sworn and everlasting enemies, and when one prevails the other dies."

Will Durant, American Historian

Ideology, Freedom, Equality, Conflict, Philosophy

25

"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

25

"There were theoretical elements in the subjection of women and it is not possible to avoid the conclusion that a large contribution was made to them by the Church. In part this was a matter of its hostile stance towards sexuality."

"There were theoretical elements in the subjection of women and it is not possible to avoid the conclusion that a large contribution was made to them by the Church. In part this was a matter of its hostile stance towards sexuality."

J. M. Roberts, British Historian

Woman, Women, Church, Sexuality

25

"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

25

"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

25

"What is interesting about self-analysis is that it leads nowhere - it is an art form in itself."

"What is interesting about self-analysis is that it leads nowhere - it is an art form in itself."

Anita Brookner, English Historian

25

"We seek the truth and will endure the consequences."

"We seek the truth and will endure the consequences."

Charles Seymour, American Historian

Truth, Consequences, Will

25

"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

25

"Shame is a child of custom rather than of nature."

"Shame is a child of custom rather than of nature."

Will Durant, American Historian

Shame, Custom, Society, Behavior

25

"One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say."

"One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say."

Will Durant, American Historian

History, Nothing

25

"I have nothing revolutionary or even novel to offer."

"I have nothing revolutionary or even novel to offer."

Samuel E. Morison, American Historian

25

"One certain effect of war is to diminish freedom of expression."

"One certain effect of war is to diminish freedom of expression."

Howard Zinn, American Historian

War, Effect, Expression, Freedom

25

"Truth always originates in a minority of one, and every custom begins as a broken precedent."

"Truth always originates in a minority of one, and every custom begins as a broken precedent."

Will Durant, American Historian

Truth, Custom, Minority

25

"I had been writing for about twelve years. I knew pretty well how you could find things out, but I had never been trained in an academic way how to go about the research."

"I had been writing for about twelve years. I knew pretty well how you could find things out, but I had never been trained in an academic way how to go about the research."

David McCullough, American Historian

Pretty, Research, Writing, Years

25

"Books are humanity in print."

"Books are humanity in print."

Barbara Tuchman, American Historian

Books, Humanity

25

"God is Love but He also is the Lawgiver."

"God is Love but He also is the Lawgiver."

Habeeb Akande, British Historian

Spiritual, God, Law, Truth, Power

25

"The first thing you've got to remember is that it's your clients' money you're spending."

"The first thing you've got to remember is that it's your clients' money you're spending."

Richard M. Hunt, American Historian

Money, Clients, First

25

"Waste no time with revolutions that do not remove the causes of your complaints but simply change the faces of those in charge."

"Waste no time with revolutions that do not remove the causes of your complaints but simply change the faces of those in charge."

Francesco Guicciardini, Italian Historian

Change, Time, Causes, Complaints

25

"A dream business that doesn't make money is a living nightmare."

"A dream business that doesn't make money is a living nightmare."

Habeeb Akande, British Historian

Business, Dream, Truth, Wisdom

25

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