Quotes by Historian | Beyond Motive 6/35

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Quotes by Historian

"Heroes are created by popular demand, sometimes out of the scantiest materials, or none at all."

"Heroes are created by popular demand, sometimes out of the scantiest materials, or none at all."

Gerald W. Johnson, American Historian

Heroes, Popular

57

"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

57

"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

57

"Any theory intended to describe and analyze socio-historical reality cannot restrict itself to the human spirit and disregard the totality of human nature."

"Any theory intended to describe and analyze socio-historical reality cannot restrict itself to the human spirit and disregard the totality of human nature."

Wilhelm Dilthey, German Historian

Nature, Humannature, Reality, Spirit

57

"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

57

"The man who prefers his country before any other duty shows the same spirit as the man who surrenders every right to the state. They both deny that right is superior to authority."

"The man who prefers his country before any other duty shows the same spirit as the man who surrenders every right to the state. They both deny that right is superior to authority."

Lord Acton, British Historian

Authority, Country, Duty, Man

57

"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

57

"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

56

"To like and dislike the same things, this is what makes a solid friendship."

"To like and dislike the same things, this is what makes a solid friendship."

Sallust, Roman Historian

56

"He was what I often think is a dangerous thing for a statesman to be - a student of history; and like most of those who study history, he learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones."

"He was what I often think is a dangerous thing for a statesman to be - a student of history; and like most of those who study history, he learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones."

A. J. P. Taylor, British Historian

History, Mistakes, Past, Study

56

"Every historian has informally an anthropology, without ever using the word."

"Every historian has informally an anthropology, without ever using the word."

Peter Gay, American Historian

Research, Anthropology, Word

56

"And remember, where you have a concentration of power in a few hands, all too frequently men with the mentality of gangsters get control. History has proven that."

"And remember, where you have a concentration of power in a few hands, all too frequently men with the mentality of gangsters get control. History has proven that."

Lord Acton, British Historian

History, Men, Power, Control

56

"There is nothing man will not attempt when great enterprises hold out the promise of great rewards."

"There is nothing man will not attempt when great enterprises hold out the promise of great rewards."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Man, Nothing, Promise, Will

56

"The courage of a soldier is found to be the cheapest and most common quality of human nature."

"The courage of a soldier is found to be the cheapest and most common quality of human nature."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Nature, Quality, Courage, Humannature

56

"Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

"Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Lord Acton, British Historian

56

"There is always more spirit in attack than in defence."

"There is always more spirit in attack than in defence."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

56

"The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections."

"The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections."

Lord Acton, British Historian

Democracy, Elections, Evil, Force

56

"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

56

"Before you act, consider; when you have considered, tis fully time to act."

"Before you act, consider; when you have considered, tis fully time to act."

Sallust, Roman Historian

56

"Victor and vanquished never unite in substantial agreement."

"Victor and vanquished never unite in substantial agreement."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

56

"Liberty is the condition of duty, the guardian of conscience. It grows as conscience grows. The domains of both grow together. Liberty is safety from all hindrances, even sin. So that Liberty ends by being Free Will."

"Liberty is the condition of duty, the guardian of conscience. It grows as conscience grows. The domains of both grow together. Liberty is safety from all hindrances, even sin. So that Liberty ends by being Free Will."

John Acton, English Historian

Being, Conscience, Duty, Freewill

56

"Philosophy: Unintelligible answers to insoluble problems."

"Philosophy: Unintelligible answers to insoluble problems."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Answers, Problems

56

"To that class we may leave it to refine the vernacular dialects of the country, to enrich those dialects with terms of science borrowed from the Western nomenclature, and to render them by degrees fit vehicles for conveying knowledge to the great mass of the population."

"To that class we may leave it to refine the vernacular dialects of the country, to enrich those dialects with terms of science borrowed from the Western nomenclature, and to render them by degrees fit vehicles for conveying knowledge to the great mass of the population."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

Science, Knowledge, Class, Country

56

"Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit."

"Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Life, Habit, Chaos, Order

56

"Wise sayings often fall on barren ground, but a kind word is never thrown away."

"Wise sayings often fall on barren ground, but a kind word is never thrown away."

Arthur Helps, British Historian

Kindness, Sayings, Word

56

"From abundance springs satiety."

"From abundance springs satiety."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Society, Abundance

56

"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

56

"There's an awful temptation to just keep on researching. There comes a point where you just have to stop, and start writing."

"There's an awful temptation to just keep on researching. There comes a point where you just have to stop, and start writing."

David McCullough, American Historian

Temptation, Writing

56

"Necessity makes even the timid brave."

"Necessity makes even the timid brave."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Courage, Necessity

56

"In a state where corruption abounds, laws must be very numerous."

"In a state where corruption abounds, laws must be very numerous."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Corruption, Laws, State

56

"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

55

"This above all makes history useful and desirable; it unfolds before our eyes a glorious record of exemplary actions."

"This above all makes history useful and desirable; it unfolds before our eyes a glorious record of exemplary actions."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

History, Actions, Eyes

55

"The chief qualification of a mass leader has become unending infallibility; he can never admit an error."

"The chief qualification of a mass leader has become unending infallibility; he can never admit an error."

Hannah Arendt, German Historian

Leadership, Leader, Error

55

"Many attempts had been made by colonial legislatures to cut off or to tax the importation of slaves."

"Many attempts had been made by colonial legislatures to cut off or to tax the importation of slaves."

Albert Bushnell Hart, American Historian

55

"A military road led from this point to Fort Leavenworth, and for many miles the farms and cabins of the Delawares were scattered at short intervals on either hand."

"A military road led from this point to Fort Leavenworth, and for many miles the farms and cabins of the Delawares were scattered at short intervals on either hand."

Francis Parkman, American Historian

55

"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

55

"Everything that rises sets, and everything that grows, grows old."

"Everything that rises sets, and everything that grows, grows old."

Sallust, Roman Historian

55

"All science is experiential; but all experience must be related back to and derives its its validity from the conditions and context of consciousness in which it arises, i.e., the totality of our nature."

"All science is experiential; but all experience must be related back to and derives its its validity from the conditions and context of consciousness in which it arises, i.e., the totality of our nature."

Wilhelm Dilthey, German Historian

Nature, Experience, Science, Consciousness

55

"A third force, developing itself more slowly, becomes even more potent than the rest: the power of gold."

"A third force, developing itself more slowly, becomes even more potent than the rest: the power of gold."

John Lothrop Motley, American Historian

Power, Force, Gold

55

"The true call of a Christian is not to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way."

"The true call of a Christian is not to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way."

Dean Stanley, British Historian

55

"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

55

"No man likes to have his intelligence or good faith questioned, especially if he has doubts about it himself."

"No man likes to have his intelligence or good faith questioned, especially if he has doubts about it himself."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Faith, Intelligence, Man

55

"Every book is a new journey. I never felt I was an expert on a subject as I embarked on a project."

"Every book is a new journey. I never felt I was an expert on a subject as I embarked on a project."

David McCullough, American Historian

Learning, Journey, Project

55

"American society is a sort of flat, fresh-water pond which absorbs silently, without reaction, anything which is thrown into it."

"American society is a sort of flat, fresh-water pond which absorbs silently, without reaction, anything which is thrown into it."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

55

"Reading is like the sex act - done privately, and often in bed."

"Reading is like the sex act - done privately, and often in bed."

Daniel J. Boorstin, American Historian

Sex, Act, Bed, Reading

55

"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

55

"Award trophies, as opposed to letting the players define and claim their own. Ultimately, pay them to play so that their activity not only resembles work but is work."

"Award trophies, as opposed to letting the players define and claim their own. Ultimately, pay them to play so that their activity not only resembles work but is work."

John Thorn, American Historian

55

"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

55

"Prison continues, on those who are entrusted to it, a work begun elsewhere, which the whole of society pursues on each individual through innumerable mechanisms of discipline."

"Prison continues, on those who are entrusted to it, a work begun elsewhere, which the whole of society pursues on each individual through innumerable mechanisms of discipline."

Michel Foucault, French Historian

Society, Work, Discipline, Prison

55

"The populace is like the sea motionless in itself, but stirred by every wind, even the lightest breeze."

"The populace is like the sea motionless in itself, but stirred by every wind, even the lightest breeze."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

55

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