Quotes by Historian | Beyond Motive 5/35

top of page

Quotes by Historian

"Above all nations is humanity."

"Above all nations is humanity."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Humanity, Nations

47

"With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his tracks in the war. When I got there, there was a certain satisfaction in finding I had it right - it does look like that."

"With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his tracks in the war. When I got there, there was a certain satisfaction in finding I had it right - it does look like that."

David McCullough, American Historian

War, Europe, Right, Satisfaction

47

"Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay."

"Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay."

Sallust, Roman Historian

47

"The history of the Franks becomes, therefore, the history of the Netherlands."

"The history of the Franks becomes, therefore, the history of the Netherlands."

John Lothrop Motley, American Historian

47

"Crossing the Penobscot, one found a visible descent in the scale of humanity."

"Crossing the Penobscot, one found a visible descent in the scale of humanity."

Francis Parkman, American Historian

47

"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

47

"Truth, they say, is but too often in difficulties, but is never finally suppressed."

"Truth, they say, is but too often in difficulties, but is never finally suppressed."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Truth, Difficulties

47

"Now, most of the new immigrants coming to this country are from Asia as opposed to Europe."

"Now, most of the new immigrants coming to this country are from Asia as opposed to Europe."

Iris Chang, Chinese Historian

Nation, Country, Europe, Now

47

"It's a wonderful thing to see a segment of our population that is open and eager to learn more about Chinese culture. It has filtered into the mainstream. You see credit-card ads on TV with white couples and Chinese babies."

"It's a wonderful thing to see a segment of our population that is open and eager to learn more about Chinese culture. It has filtered into the mainstream. You see credit-card ads on TV with white couples and Chinese babies."

Iris Chang, Chinese Historian

Diversity, Babies, Credit, Culture, Open

47

"Strength is born in the deep silence of long-suffering hearts; not amid joy."

"Strength is born in the deep silence of long-suffering hearts; not amid joy."

Arthur Helps, British Historian

Strength, Deep, Joy, Silence

47

"Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly the perils of war."

"Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly the perils of war."

Thucydides, Greek Historian

47

"He had a wonderful talent for packing thought close, and rendering it portable."

"He had a wonderful talent for packing thought close, and rendering it portable."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

Talent, Thought

46

"It is the logic of consumerism that undermines the values of loyalty and permanence and promotes a different set of values that is destructive of family life."

"It is the logic of consumerism that undermines the values of loyalty and permanence and promotes a different set of values that is destructive of family life."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

Family, Life, Values, Logic

46

"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

46

"Everywhere among the English-speaking race criminal justice was rude, and punishments were barbarous; but the tendency was to do away with special privileges and legal exemptions."

"Everywhere among the English-speaking race criminal justice was rude, and punishments were barbarous; but the tendency was to do away with special privileges and legal exemptions."

Albert Bushnell Hart, American Historian

Legal, English, Justice, Race

46

"No crime can ever be defended on rational grounds."

"No crime can ever be defended on rational grounds."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

46

"Heroism is endurance for one moment more."

"Heroism is endurance for one moment more."

George F. Kennan, American Historian

Heroism, Endurance

46

"Eisenhower had the clearest blue eyes. He would fix them on you. In my every interview with him, he would lock his eyes on to mine and keep them there."

"Eisenhower had the clearest blue eyes. He would fix them on you. In my every interview with him, he would lock his eyes on to mine and keep them there."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Eisenhower, Eyes

46

"Personality is lower than partiality."

"Personality is lower than partiality."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

46

"Small communities grow great through harmony, great ones fall to pieces through discord."

"Small communities grow great through harmony, great ones fall to pieces through discord."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Necessity, Harmony

46

"The secret to happiness is freedom... And the secret to freedom is courage."

"The secret to happiness is freedom... And the secret to freedom is courage."

Thucydides, Greek Historian

Happiness, Courage, Freedom

46

"America is supposed to be given over to ugliness. There are a good many ugly things there and the ugliest are the most pretentious."

"America is supposed to be given over to ugliness. There are a good many ugly things there and the ugliest are the most pretentious."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Criticism, America, Ugliness, Ugly

46

"Power is poison. Its effect on Presidents had always been tragic."

"Power is poison. Its effect on Presidents had always been tragic."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Power, Effect, Poison

46

"I do not believe that civilizations have to die because civilization is not an organism. It is a product of wills."

"I do not believe that civilizations have to die because civilization is not an organism. It is a product of wills."

Arnold J. Toynbee, British Historian

46

"Keep your feet on the ground, but let your heart soar as high as it will. Refuse to be average or to surrender to the chill of your spiritual environment."

"Keep your feet on the ground, but let your heart soar as high as it will. Refuse to be average or to surrender to the chill of your spiritual environment."

Arthur Helps, British Historian

Heart, Environment, Feet, Spiritual

46

"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

46

"The firmest friendship is based on an identity of likes and dislikes."

"The firmest friendship is based on an identity of likes and dislikes."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Friendship, Identity

46

"The reader need not be told that John Bull never leaves home without encumbering himself with the greatest possible load of luggage. Our companions were no exception to the rule."

"The reader need not be told that John Bull never leaves home without encumbering himself with the greatest possible load of luggage. Our companions were no exception to the rule."

Francis Parkman, American Historian

46

"Philosophy: Unintelligible answers to insoluble problems."

"Philosophy: Unintelligible answers to insoluble problems."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Answers, Problems

46

"When men are full of envy they disparage everything, whether it be good or bad."

"When men are full of envy they disparage everything, whether it be good or bad."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

46

"It was clear that the special interest groups in California really wanted the Chinese to be shut out of the country, because that was where the racial tension was the greatest."

"It was clear that the special interest groups in California really wanted the Chinese to be shut out of the country, because that was where the racial tension was the greatest."

Iris Chang, Chinese Historian

Nation, Country, Interest, Tension

46

"The left no longer stands for common sense, as it did in the days of Tom Paine."

"The left no longer stands for common sense, as it did in the days of Tom Paine."

Christopher Lasch, American Historian

46

"I'm not a driven businessman, but a driven artist. I never think about money. Beautiful things make money."

"I'm not a driven businessman, but a driven artist. I never think about money. Beautiful things make money."

Lord Acton, British Historian

46

"It is a sign that your reputation is small and sinking if your own tongue must praise you."

"It is a sign that your reputation is small and sinking if your own tongue must praise you."

Matthew Hale, British Historian

Praise, Reputation, Tongue

46

"Chaos was the law of nature; Order was the dream of man."

"Chaos was the law of nature; Order was the dream of man."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Nature, Dream, Chaos, Law

45

"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

45

"As human beings, we are endowed with freedom of choice, and we cannot shuffle off our responsibility upon the shoulders of God or nature. We must shoulder it ourselves. It is our responsibility."

"As human beings, we are endowed with freedom of choice, and we cannot shuffle off our responsibility upon the shoulders of God or nature. We must shoulder it ourselves. It is our responsibility."

Arnold J. Toynbee, British Historian

God, Nature, Choice, Freedom

45

"To liberate words means first to shatter their function as vehicles of idea, memory, hope, or regret."

"To liberate words means first to shatter their function as vehicles of idea, memory, hope, or regret."

Thomas Harrison, American Historian

Idea, Hope, First, Memory

45

"Revolution as an ideal concept always preserves the essential content of the original thought: sudden and lasting betterment."

"Revolution as an ideal concept always preserves the essential content of the original thought: sudden and lasting betterment."

Johan Huizinga, Dutch Historian

Content, Revolution

45

"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

45

"If we are to preserve culture we must continue to create it."

"If we are to preserve culture we must continue to create it."

Johan Huizinga, Dutch Historian

Cultural, Culture

45

"The essence of greatness is neglect of the self."

"The essence of greatness is neglect of the self."

James Anthony Froude, English Historian

Greatness, Neglect, Self

45

"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

45

"To think well and to consent to obey someone giving good advice are the same thing."

"To think well and to consent to obey someone giving good advice are the same thing."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

45

"Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master."

"Few men desire liberty; most men wish only for a just master."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Man, Men, Desire, Liberty

45

"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

45

"Experience teaches slowly, and at the cost of mistakes."

"Experience teaches slowly, and at the cost of mistakes."

James Anthony Froude, English Historian

Experience, Mistakes

45

"Miracles happen to those who believe in them."

"Miracles happen to those who believe in them."

Bernard Berenson, American Historian

Belief, Miracles

45

"No person is ever good for much, that hasn't been swept off their feet by enthusiasm between ages twenty and thirty."

"No person is ever good for much, that hasn't been swept off their feet by enthusiasm between ages twenty and thirty."

James Anthony Froude, English Historian

Enthusiasm, Feet

45

"In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons."

"In peace, sons bury their fathers. In war, fathers bury their sons."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Peace, War, Fathers, Sons

45

bottom of page