Quotes by Historian | Beyond Motive 5/35

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Quotes by Historian

"The human race's prospects of survival were considerably better when we were defenceless against tigers than they are today when we have become defenceless against ourselves."

"The human race's prospects of survival were considerably better when we were defenceless against tigers than they are today when we have become defenceless against ourselves."

Arnold J. Toynbee, British Historian

Survival, Race, Today

29

"It has always appeared to me, that there is so much to be done in this world, that all self-inflicted suffering which cannot be turned to good account for others, is a loss - a loss, if you may so express it, to the spiritual world."

"It has always appeared to me, that there is so much to be done in this world, that all self-inflicted suffering which cannot be turned to good account for others, is a loss - a loss, if you may so express it, to the spiritual world."

Arthur Helps, British Historian

Loss, May, Self, Spiritual

28

"For me archaeology is not a source of illustrations for written texts, but an independent source of historical information, with no less value and importance, sometimes more importance, that the written sources."

"For me archaeology is not a source of illustrations for written texts, but an independent source of historical information, with no less value and importance, sometimes more importance, that the written sources."

Michael I. Rostovtzeff, Russian Historian

Importance, Information, Value

28

"Overall, the anarchy was the most creative of all periods of Japanese culture for in it there appeared the greatest landscape painting, the culmination of the skill of landscape gardening and the arts of flower arrangement, and the No drama."

"Overall, the anarchy was the most creative of all periods of Japanese culture for in it there appeared the greatest landscape painting, the culmination of the skill of landscape gardening and the arts of flower arrangement, and the No drama."

J. M. Roberts, British Historian

Gardening, Anarchy, Culture, Drama

28

"America is a large friendly dog in a small room. Every time it wags its tail it knocks over a chair."

"America is a large friendly dog in a small room. Every time it wags its tail it knocks over a chair."

Arnold J. Toynbee, British Historian

28

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

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

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

28

"Ancient metaphysics underwent many changes at the hands of medieval thinkers who brought it in line with the dominant religious and theological movements of their day."

"Ancient metaphysics underwent many changes at the hands of medieval thinkers who brought it in line with the dominant religious and theological movements of their day."

Wilhelm Dilthey, German Historian

Philosophy, Day, Metaphysics, Religious

28

"Here society is reduced to its original elements, the whole fabric of art and conventionality is struck rudely to pieces, and men find themselves suddenly brought back to the wants and resources of their original natures."

"Here society is reduced to its original elements, the whole fabric of art and conventionality is struck rudely to pieces, and men find themselves suddenly brought back to the wants and resources of their original natures."

Francis Parkman, American Historian

Art, Men, Society, Conventionality

28

"Men are slower to recognize blessings than misfortunes."

"Men are slower to recognize blessings than misfortunes."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Man, Men, Blessings

28

"In its function, the power to punish is not essentially different from that of curing or educating."

"In its function, the power to punish is not essentially different from that of curing or educating."

Michel Foucault, French Historian

28

"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

28

"Every one who has a heart, however ignorant of architecture he may be, feels the transcendent beauty and poetry of the mediaeval churches."

"Every one who has a heart, however ignorant of architecture he may be, feels the transcendent beauty and poetry of the mediaeval churches."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Architecture, Beauty, Poetry, Heart

28

"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws."

"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Law, Laws, State

28

"They are more than men at the outset of their battles; at the end they are less than the women."

"They are more than men at the outset of their battles; at the end they are less than the women."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Man, Men, Women, End

28

"Far from being the product of a democratic revolution and of an opposition to English institutions, the constitution of the United States was the result of a powerful reaction against democracy, and in favor of the traditions of the mother country."

"Far from being the product of a democratic revolution and of an opposition to English institutions, the constitution of the United States was the result of a powerful reaction against democracy, and in favor of the traditions of the mother country."

John Acton, English Historian

Family, Mother, Being, Constitution, Country

28

"We were now arrived at the close of our solitary journeyings along the St. Joseph's trail."

"We were now arrived at the close of our solitary journeyings along the St. Joseph's trail."

Francis Parkman, American Historian

28

"We were now, as I before mentioned, upon this St. Joseph's trail. It was evident, by the traces, that large parties were a few days in advance of us; and as we too supposed them to be Mormons, we had some apprehension of interruption."

"We were now, as I before mentioned, upon this St. Joseph's trail. It was evident, by the traces, that large parties were a few days in advance of us; and as we too supposed them to be Mormons, we had some apprehension of interruption."

Francis Parkman, American Historian

28

"To learn to get along without, to realize that what the world is going to demand of us may be a good deal more important than what we are entitled to demand of it - this is a hard lesson."

"To learn to get along without, to realize that what the world is going to demand of us may be a good deal more important than what we are entitled to demand of it - this is a hard lesson."

Bruce Catton, American Historian

Learning, May, World

28

"The glory that goes with wealth is fleeting and fragile; virtue is a possession glorious and eternal."

"The glory that goes with wealth is fleeting and fragile; virtue is a possession glorious and eternal."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Virtue, Wealth, Glory, Possession

28

"Routine is not organization, any more than paralysis is order."

"Routine is not organization, any more than paralysis is order."

Arthur Helps, British Historian

28

"As we advance in life, we learn the limits of our abilities."

"As we advance in life, we learn the limits of our abilities."

James Anthony Froude, English Historian

28

"Perfection of planned layout is achieved only by institutions on the point of collapse."

"Perfection of planned layout is achieved only by institutions on the point of collapse."

C. Northcote Parkinson, British Historian

Planning, Perfection

28

"The sense of danger is never, perhaps, so fully apprehended as when the danger has been overcome."

"The sense of danger is never, perhaps, so fully apprehended as when the danger has been overcome."

Arthur Helps, British Historian

28

"Neither soldiers nor money can defend a king but only friends won by good deeds, merit, and honesty."

"Neither soldiers nor money can defend a king but only friends won by good deeds, merit, and honesty."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Friendship, Money, Honesty, Deeds, Friends

28

"Nothing in education is so astonishing as the amount of ignorance it accumulates in the form of inert facts."

"Nothing in education is so astonishing as the amount of ignorance it accumulates in the form of inert facts."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Education, Facts, Ignorance, Nothing

28

"We are living in the excesses of freedom. Just take a look at 42nd Street an Broadway."

"We are living in the excesses of freedom. Just take a look at 42nd Street an Broadway."

Will Durant, American Historian

Freedom, Living

28

"Bullock by name, and Bullock by nature."

"Bullock by name, and Bullock by nature."

Alan Bullock, British Historian

28

"The great armies, accumulated to provide security and preserve the peace, carried the nations to war by their own weight."

"The great armies, accumulated to provide security and preserve the peace, carried the nations to war by their own weight."

A. J. P. Taylor, British Historian

War, Peace, Nations, Security

28

"The Canadians have managed to live peacefully with their Indians. It is disgrace that the United States has not done the same."

"The Canadians have managed to live peacefully with their Indians. It is disgrace that the United States has not done the same."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Canada, Disgrace, States, United

28

"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

28

"A society that has made "nostalgia" a marketable commodity on the cultural exchange quickly repudiates the suggestion that life in the past was in any important way better than life today."

"A society that has made "nostalgia" a marketable commodity on the cultural exchange quickly repudiates the suggestion that life in the past was in any important way better than life today."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Life, Society, Past, Today

28

"Then you get to the last half of the 20th century, Americans are getting very skeptical about their leaders and their institutions, and another place that is affected is parties and conventions."

"Then you get to the last half of the 20th century, Americans are getting very skeptical about their leaders and their institutions, and another place that is affected is parties and conventions."

Michael Beschloss, American Historian

American, Americans, Leaders

28

"Burglars know there's more than one way to skin a vault."

"Burglars know there's more than one way to skin a vault."

James Chiles, American Historian

28

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

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

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Politics, Practice

28

"Illness strikes men when they are exposed to change."

"Illness strikes men when they are exposed to change."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Change, Men, Illness

28

"The natural barriers between England and Scotland were not sufficient to prevent the extension of the Saxon settlements and kingdoms across the border."

"The natural barriers between England and Scotland were not sufficient to prevent the extension of the Saxon settlements and kingdoms across the border."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

History, England, Scotland

28

"Corruption, the most infallible symptom of constitutional liberty."

"Corruption, the most infallible symptom of constitutional liberty."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Corruption, Liberty

28

"Fort Leavenworth is in fact no fort, being without defensive works, except two block-houses."

"Fort Leavenworth is in fact no fort, being without defensive works, except two block-houses."

Francis Parkman, American Historian

28

"The return we reap from generous actions is not always evident."

"The return we reap from generous actions is not always evident."

Francesco Guicciardini, Italian Historian

Action, Actions

28

"From abundance springs satiety."

"From abundance springs satiety."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Society, Abundance

28

"The strategic adversary is fascism... the fascism in us all, in our heads and in our everyday behavior, the fascism that causes us to love power, to desire the very thing that dominates and exploits us."

"The strategic adversary is fascism... the fascism in us all, in our heads and in our everyday behavior, the fascism that causes us to love power, to desire the very thing that dominates and exploits us."

Michel Foucault, French Historian

Love, Power, Behavior, Causes

28

"Wars spring from unseen and generally insignificant causes, the first outbreak being often but an explosion of anger."

"Wars spring from unseen and generally insignificant causes, the first outbreak being often but an explosion of anger."

Thucydides, Greek Historian

Anger, Being, Causes, First

28

"In my opinion, he only may be truly said to live and enjoy his being who is engaged in some laudable pursuit, and acquires a name by some illustrious action, or useful art."

"In my opinion, he only may be truly said to live and enjoy his being who is engaged in some laudable pursuit, and acquires a name by some illustrious action, or useful art."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Art, Action, Being, May

28

"The proper reply to right wing religiosity is not to insist that politics and religion don't mix. This is the stock response of the left."

"The proper reply to right wing religiosity is not to insist that politics and religion don't mix. This is the stock response of the left."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Politics, Religion, Right

28

"To have a liberal temperament is a kind of psychological boon, To be able to understand that someone you disagree with is not just a terrible creature but somebody with whom you disagree."

"To have a liberal temperament is a kind of psychological boon, To be able to understand that someone you disagree with is not just a terrible creature but somebody with whom you disagree."

Peter Gay, American Historian

Liberal, Temperament

28

"My favorite book is the last one printed, which is always better than those that were published earlier."

"My favorite book is the last one printed, which is always better than those that were published earlier."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

28

"Moral codes adjust themselves to environmental conditions."

"Moral codes adjust themselves to environmental conditions."

Will Durant, American Historian

Environment, Environmental

28

"Nearly everywhere monarchs raised themselves further above the level of the greatest nobles and buttressed their new pretensions to respect and authority with cannons and taxation."

"Nearly everywhere monarchs raised themselves further above the level of the greatest nobles and buttressed their new pretensions to respect and authority with cannons and taxation."

J. M. Roberts, British Historian

Authority, Respect, Taxation

28

"The effect of violent dislike between groups has always created an indifference to the welfare and honor of the state."

"The effect of violent dislike between groups has always created an indifference to the welfare and honor of the state."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

Division, Effect, Honor, Indifference, State

27

"Psychoanalysts believe that the only 'normal' people are those who cause no trouble either to themselves or anyone else."

"Psychoanalysts believe that the only 'normal' people are those who cause no trouble either to themselves or anyone else."

A. J. P. Taylor, British Historian

People, Cause, Trouble

27

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