Quotes by Historian | Beyond Motive 27/35

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Quotes by Historian

"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

25

"It is sad that people need alcohol to make them happy."

"It is sad that people need alcohol to make them happy."

Habeeb Akande, British Historian

Addiction, Alcohol, Happiness, Dependence, Sadness

25

"Read to lead in order to succeed."

"Read to lead in order to succeed."

Habeeb Akande, British Historian

Education, Success, Truth, Inspirational, Knowledge

25

"I shall not be satisfied unless I produce something which shall for a few days supersede the last fashionable novel on the tables of young ladies."

"I shall not be satisfied unless I produce something which shall for a few days supersede the last fashionable novel on the tables of young ladies."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

Ambition, Ladies

25

"A good woman is a pleasured treasure."

"A good woman is a pleasured treasure."

Habeeb Akande, British Historian

Love, Truth, Observation, Power

25

"The past is not simply the past, but a prism through which the subject filters his own changing self-image."

"The past is not simply the past, but a prism through which the subject filters his own changing self-image."

Doris Kearns Goodwin, American Historian

25

"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

25

"He was always acting, always enveloping himself in artificiality, perhaps to conceal the volcano within."

"He was always acting, always enveloping himself in artificiality, perhaps to conceal the volcano within."

Barbara Tuchman, American Historian

Psychology, Behavior, Truth, Wisdom, Observation

25

"Men who are engaged in public life must necessarily aim at reducing opposition to a minimum, and one of the most obvious means to that end is by misrepresenting, discrediting or ruining their opponents."

"Men who are engaged in public life must necessarily aim at reducing opposition to a minimum, and one of the most obvious means to that end is by misrepresenting, discrediting or ruining their opponents."

Frederick Scott Oliver, American Historian

Life, Men, End, Obvious

25

"Why we play as children is not because it is our work or because it is how we learn, though both statements are true; we play because we are wired for joy, it is imperative as human beings."

"Why we play as children is not because it is our work or because it is how we learn, though both statements are true; we play because we are wired for joy, it is imperative as human beings."

John Thorn, American Historian

Work, Children, Joy, Play

25

"If Wellington epitomizes the English gentleman, Eisenhower epitomizes the natural American gentleman."

"If Wellington epitomizes the English gentleman, Eisenhower epitomizes the natural American gentleman."

John Keegan, English Historian

Leadership, American, Gentleman

25

"Social history might be defined negatively as the history of a people with the politics left out."

"Social history might be defined negatively as the history of a people with the politics left out."

G. M. Trevelyan, English Historian

History, Politics, People

24

"Never tell a young person that anything cannot be done. God may have been waiting centuries for someone ignorant enough of the impossible to do that very thing."

"Never tell a young person that anything cannot be done. God may have been waiting centuries for someone ignorant enough of the impossible to do that very thing."

G. M. Trevelyan, English Historian

God, May, Waiting

24

"Every form of government tends to perish by excess of its basic principle."

"Every form of government tends to perish by excess of its basic principle."

Will Durant, American Historian

Government, Excess

24

"We are not going to achieve a new world order without paying for it in blood as well as in words and money."

"We are not going to achieve a new world order without paying for it in blood as well as in words and money."

Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., American Historian

Money, Blood, Order, Words

24

"The ancient codes were doubtless originally suggested by the discovery and diffusion of the art of writing."

"The ancient codes were doubtless originally suggested by the discovery and diffusion of the art of writing."

Henry James Sumner Maine, English Historian

Art, Discovery, Writing

24

"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

24

"But having said all of that, that still doesn't account for a lot of the increase in popularity which stems, I think, from Lincoln's personal characteristics."

"But having said all of that, that still doesn't account for a lot of the increase in popularity which stems, I think, from Lincoln's personal characteristics."

David Herbert Donald, American Historian

Politics, Popularity

24

"In Mexico an air conditioner is called a politician because it makes a lot of noise but doesn't work very well."

"In Mexico an air conditioner is called a politician because it makes a lot of noise but doesn't work very well."

Len Deighton, British Historian

24

"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

24

"Hence I think it is that democracies change into aristocracies, and these at length into monarchies,' people at last prefer tyranny to chaos. Equality of power is an unstable condition; men are by nature unequal; and 'he who seeks equality between unequals seeks an absurdity.' Democracy has still to solve the problem of enlisting the best energies of men while giving to all alike the choice of those, among the trained and fit, by whom they wish to be ruled."

"Hence I think it is that democracies change into aristocracies, and these at length into monarchies,' people at last prefer tyranny to chaos. Equality of power is an unstable condition; men are by nature unequal; and 'he who seeks equality between unequals seeks an absurdity.' Democracy has still to solve the problem of enlisting the best energies of men while giving to all alike the choice of those, among the trained and fit, by whom they wish to be ruled."

Will Durant, American Historian

Politics, Power, Democracy, Observation

24

"Righteousness is easy in retrospect."

"Righteousness is easy in retrospect."

Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., American Historian

Philosophy, Righteousness, Arthur M. Schlesinger

24

"I can see that you are a true historian because you really always ought to ask that question about anybody at a different place or a different time: What's the same and what's different?"

"I can see that you are a true historian because you really always ought to ask that question about anybody at a different place or a different time: What's the same and what's different?"

Donald Kagan, American Historian

24

"Many politicians are in the habit of laying it down as a self-evident proposition that no people ought to be free till they are fit to use their freedom. The maxim is worthy of the fool in the old story who resolved not to go into the water till he had learned to swim."

"Many politicians are in the habit of laying it down as a self-evident proposition that no people ought to be free till they are fit to use their freedom. The maxim is worthy of the fool in the old story who resolved not to go into the water till he had learned to swim."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

People, Habit, Fool, Freedom

24

"The trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than with their minds."

"The trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than with their minds."

Will Durant, American Historian

People, Trouble, Wishes

24

"I was able to sit at Lincoln's side and see how he thought and how he acted, and how he felt about what was going on around him. I felt the pressures that were on him. You can see what people were writing to him, how they were nudging him."

"I was able to sit at Lincoln's side and see how he thought and how he acted, and how he felt about what was going on around him. I felt the pressures that were on him. You can see what people were writing to him, how they were nudging him."

David Herbert Donald, American Historian

Thought, People, Writing

24

"Education is the transmission of civilization."

"Education is the transmission of civilization."

Will Durant, American Historian

Education, Civilization

24

"History repeats itself. Historians repeat each other."

"History repeats itself. Historians repeat each other."

Philip Guedalla, English Historian

History, Historians

24

"Disinterested intellectual curiosity is the life blood of real civilization."

"Disinterested intellectual curiosity is the life blood of real civilization."

G. M. Trevelyan, English Historian

Life, Civilization, Blood, Curiosity

24

"The state is the soul of man enlarged under the microscope of history."

"The state is the soul of man enlarged under the microscope of history."

Will Durant, American Historian

Politics, State, History, Society, Power

24

"In the third century after Christ the faith continued to spread."

"In the third century after Christ the faith continued to spread."

Kenneth Scott Latourette, American Historian

24

"In reality, it si more fruitful to wound than to kill. While the dead man lies still, counting only one man less, the wounded man is a progressive drain upon his side."

"In reality, it si more fruitful to wound than to kill. While the dead man lies still, counting only one man less, the wounded man is a progressive drain upon his side."

B. H. Liddell Hart, British Historian

Lie, Lies, Man, Reality

24

"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

24

"Even his own speeches bored him."

"Even his own speeches bored him."

Barbara Tuchman, American Historian

Emotion, Boredom, Truth, Wisdom, Observation

24

"The search for the truth for truth's sake is the mark of the historian."

"The search for the truth for truth's sake is the mark of the historian."

B. H. Liddell Hart, British Historian

24

"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

24

"There are certain wicked people in the world that you can't deal with except by force."

"There are certain wicked people in the world that you can't deal with except by force."

John Keegan, English Historian

People, Force, World

24

"The Commonwealth has had consistently bad press. It was originally seen as a kind of hangover empire. People have long predicted its demise."

"The Commonwealth has had consistently bad press. It was originally seen as a kind of hangover empire. People have long predicted its demise."

Ben Pimlott, British Historian

24

"In proportion that property is small, the danger of misusing the franchisee is great."

"In proportion that property is small, the danger of misusing the franchisee is great."

Barbara Tuchman, American Historian

Politics, Governance, Truth, Wisdom, Observation

24

"When meeting criticism, he would regard it not as something to resent but as a thing to be examined, like an interesting beetle. "That's a curious view, not uninteresting."

"When meeting criticism, he would regard it not as something to resent but as a thing to be examined, like an interesting beetle. "That's a curious view, not uninteresting."

Barbara Tuchman, American Historian

Criticism, Curiosity, Humility, Learning

24

"Where's the progress that we're going to see in Afghanistan? You have to keep public support both on the economy and the war or these things will really become troubling."

"Where's the progress that we're going to see in Afghanistan? You have to keep public support both on the economy and the war or these things will really become troubling."

Doris Kearns Goodwin, American Historian

War, Progress, Afghanistan, Economy

24

"Accountability in friendship is the equivalent of love without strategy."

"Accountability in friendship is the equivalent of love without strategy."

Anita Brookner, English Historian

Friendship, Love, Strategy

24

"Politics, as a practice, whatever its profession, has always been the systematic organization of hatreds."

"Politics, as a practice, whatever its profession, has always been the systematic organization of hatreds."

Brooks Adams, American Historian

Politics, Practice, Profession

23

"I will hear no talk that there are no intermediate-range weapons on the NATO side."

"I will hear no talk that there are no intermediate-range weapons on the NATO side."

E. P. Thompson, British Historian

Talk, Weapons, Will

23

"When everything else physical and mental seems to diminish, the appreciation of beauty is on the increase."

"When everything else physical and mental seems to diminish, the appreciation of beauty is on the increase."

Bernard Berenson, American Historian

Beauty, Appreciation

23

"The best an American can look forward to is the lonely pleasure of one who stands at long last on a chilly and inhospitable mountaintop where few have been before, where few can follow and where few will consent to believe he has been."

"The best an American can look forward to is the lonely pleasure of one who stands at long last on a chilly and inhospitable mountaintop where few have been before, where few can follow and where few will consent to believe he has been."

George F. Kennan, American Historian

Adventure, Lonely, Pleasure, Will

23

"The talk about balance, nuclear balance, seems to me to be metaphysical and doesn't seem to be real at all."

"The talk about balance, nuclear balance, seems to me to be metaphysical and doesn't seem to be real at all."

E. P. Thompson, British Historian

23

"He believed interim reforms were necessary in order to fix the worker for his destiny."

"He believed interim reforms were necessary in order to fix the worker for his destiny."

Barbara Tuchman, American Historian

Reform, Destiny, Power, Truth

23

"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

23

"States are like people. They do not question the awful status quo until some dramatic event overturns the conventional and lax way of thinking."

"States are like people. They do not question the awful status quo until some dramatic event overturns the conventional and lax way of thinking."

Victor Davis Hanson, American Historian

People, Question, States, Thinking

23

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