Quotes by Historian | Beyond Motive 7/27

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Quotes by Historian

"Prosperity is the measure or touchstone of virtue, for it is less difficult to bear misfortune than to remain uncorrupted by pleasure."

"Prosperity is the measure or touchstone of virtue, for it is less difficult to bear misfortune than to remain uncorrupted by pleasure."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Virtue, Measure, Misfortune, Pleasure

5

"Reason and judgment are the qualities of a leader."

"Reason and judgment are the qualities of a leader."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Leadership, Leader, Judgment, Reason

5

"If the house is to be set in order, one cannot begin with the present; he must begin with the past."

"If the house is to be set in order, one cannot begin with the present; he must begin with the past."

John Hope Franklin, American Historian

History, Order, Past, Present

5

"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

5

"In the real life-process, willing, feeling, and thinking are only different aspects."

"In the real life-process, willing, feeling, and thinking are only different aspects."

Wilhelm Dilthey, German Historian

Life, Feeling, Thinking

5

"Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume that everything has two sides and that it is our duty to be on one or the other."

"Partisanship is our great curse. We too readily assume that everything has two sides and that it is our duty to be on one or the other."

James Harvey Robinson, American Historian

5

"Whatever comes from God is impossible for a man to turn back."

"Whatever comes from God is impossible for a man to turn back."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

5

"Our tradition of political thought had its definite beginning in the teachings of Plato and Aristotle. I believe it came to a no less definite end in the theories of Karl Marx."

"Our tradition of political thought had its definite beginning in the teachings of Plato and Aristotle. I believe it came to a no less definite end in the theories of Karl Marx."

Hannah Arendt, German Historian

Thought, Beginning, End, Theories

5

"The puritan hated bear baiting, not because it gave pain to the bear, but because it gave pleasure to the spectators."

"The puritan hated bear baiting, not because it gave pain to the bear, but because it gave pleasure to the spectators."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

5

"In comparison with other men of their time, the Americans were distinguished by the possession of new political and social ideas, which were destined to be the foundation of the American commonwealth."

"In comparison with other men of their time, the Americans were distinguished by the possession of new political and social ideas, which were destined to be the foundation of the American commonwealth."

Albert Bushnell Hart, American Historian

Man, Men, Time, Ideas

5

"Science and technology revolutionize our lives, but memory, tradition and myth frame our response."

"Science and technology revolutionize our lives, but memory, tradition and myth frame our response."

Arthur M. Schlesinger, American Historian

Science, Technology, Memory, Myth

5

"An emotional man may possess no humor, but a humorous man usually has deep pockets of emotion, sometimes tucked away or forgotten."

"An emotional man may possess no humor, but a humorous man usually has deep pockets of emotion, sometimes tucked away or forgotten."

Constance Rourke, American Historian

Humor, Deep, Emotion, Man

5

"The Founding Fathers would be sorry to see that America had become so divided and factionalized."

"The Founding Fathers would be sorry to see that America had become so divided and factionalized."

Michael Beschloss, American Historian

America, Fathers, Founding

5

"Do you see how the god always hurls his bolts at the greatest houses and the tallest trees. For he is wont to thwart whatever is greater than the rest."

"Do you see how the god always hurls his bolts at the greatest houses and the tallest trees. For he is wont to thwart whatever is greater than the rest."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

God, Houses, Rest, Trees

5

"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

5

"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

5

"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

5

"The exact measure of the progress of civilization is the degree in which the intelligence of the common mind has prevailed over wealth and brute force."

"The exact measure of the progress of civilization is the degree in which the intelligence of the common mind has prevailed over wealth and brute force."

George Bancroft, American Historian

Intelligence, Civilization, Progress, Wealth

5

"Curiosity is idle only to those who fail to realize that it may be a very rare and indispensable thing."

"Curiosity is idle only to those who fail to realize that it may be a very rare and indispensable thing."

James Harvey Robinson, American Historian

5

"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

5

"Our American heritage is greater than any one of us. It can express itself in very homely truths; in the end it can lift up our eyes beyond the glow in the sunset skies."

"Our American heritage is greater than any one of us. It can express itself in very homely truths; in the end it can lift up our eyes beyond the glow in the sunset skies."

Bruce Catton, American Historian

Heritage, End, Eyes, Sunset

5

"Oftentimes during the period in which conventions really did business, you had situations where the delegates were divided and you would have ballot after ballot before there was a final nominee."

"Oftentimes during the period in which conventions really did business, you had situations where the delegates were divided and you would have ballot after ballot before there was a final nominee."

Michael Beschloss, American Historian

Business, Histoorian

5

"A manufacturing district... sends out, as it were, suckers into all its neighbourhood."

"A manufacturing district... sends out, as it were, suckers into all its neighbourhood."

Henry Hallam, English Historian

Economy, Manufacturing

5

"Civil strife is as much a greater evil than a concerted war effort as war itself is worse than peace."

"Civil strife is as much a greater evil than a concerted war effort as war itself is worse than peace."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Peace, War, Effort, Evil

5

"But I like not these great success of yours; for I know how jealous are the gods."

"But I like not these great success of yours; for I know how jealous are the gods."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

5

"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge."

"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge."

Daniel J. Boorstin, American Historian

Knowledge, Discovery, Ignorance, Illusion

5

"The existence of inherent limits of experience in no way settles the question about the subordination of facts of the human world to our knowledge of matter."

"The existence of inherent limits of experience in no way settles the question about the subordination of facts of the human world to our knowledge of matter."

Wilhelm Dilthey, German Historian

Experience, Knowledge, Existence, Facts

5

"England and France were rivals, not only on the continent, but in the West Indies, in India, and in Europe."

"England and France were rivals, not only on the continent, but in the West Indies, in India, and in Europe."

Albert Bushnell Hart, American Historian

History, Engleurope, France

4

"The West is now closed."

"The West is now closed."

Frederick Jackson Turner, American Historian

4

"By a series of violent shocks, the nations in succession have struggled to shake off the Past, to reverse the action of Time and the verdict of success, and to rescue the world from the reign of the dead."

"By a series of violent shocks, the nations in succession have struggled to shake off the Past, to reverse the action of Time and the verdict of success, and to rescue the world from the reign of the dead."

John Acton, English Historian

Time, Success, Action, Nations

4

"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

4

"You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating the very phrases which our founding fathers used in the struggle for independence."

"You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go about repeating the very phrases which our founding fathers used in the struggle for independence."

Charles A. Beard, American Historian

Family, Fathers, Founding, Independence, Reputation

4

"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

4

"And thus goes segregation which is the most far-reaching development in the history of the Negro since the enslavement of the race."

"And thus goes segregation which is the most far-reaching development in the history of the Negro since the enslavement of the race."

Carter G. Woodson, American Historian

History, Development, Race

4

"The more dubious and uncertain an instrument violence has become in international relations, the more it has gained in reputation and appeal in domestic affairs, specifically in the matter of revolution."

"The more dubious and uncertain an instrument violence has become in international relations, the more it has gained in reputation and appeal in domestic affairs, specifically in the matter of revolution."

Hannah Arendt, German Historian

Revolution, Reputation, Violence

4

"A good man would prefer to be defeated than to defeat injustice by evil means."

"A good man would prefer to be defeated than to defeat injustice by evil means."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Defeat, Evil, Injustice, Man

4

"Autobiography is now as common as adultery and hardly less reprehensible."

"Autobiography is now as common as adultery and hardly less reprehensible."

John Grigg, British Historian

Adultery, Autobiography, Now

4

"It's a necessary quality of a diplomat or a politician that he will compromise. Uncompromising politicians or diplomats get you into the most terrible trouble."

"It's a necessary quality of a diplomat or a politician that he will compromise. Uncompromising politicians or diplomats get you into the most terrible trouble."

John Keegan, English Historian

Quality, Compromise, Politicians, Trouble

4

"Of all possessions a friend is the most precious."

"Of all possessions a friend is the most precious."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Friendship, Friend, Possessions

4

"Sooner or later you must move down an unknown road that leads beyond the range of the imagination, and the only certainty is that the trip has to be made."

"Sooner or later you must move down an unknown road that leads beyond the range of the imagination, and the only certainty is that the trip has to be made."

Bruce Catton, American Historian

Imagination, Certainty, Road

4

"It is in the very nature of things human that every act that has once made its appearance and has been recorded in the history of mankind stays with mankind as a potentiality long after its actuality has become a thing of the past."

"It is in the very nature of things human that every act that has once made its appearance and has been recorded in the history of mankind stays with mankind as a potentiality long after its actuality has become a thing of the past."

Hannah Arendt, German Historian

History, Nature, Act, Appearance

4

"There is a curious relationship between a candidate and the reporters who cover him. It can be affected by small things like a competent press staff, enough seats, sandwiches and briefings and the ability to understand deadlines."

"There is a curious relationship between a candidate and the reporters who cover him. It can be affected by small things like a competent press staff, enough seats, sandwiches and briefings and the ability to understand deadlines."

Ronald Steel, American Historian

4

"He has not yet become an elder statesman, though his foreign policy credentials are considerable, but he is certainly our ancient mariner, forever tugging at our sleeve to let him tell his tale of what really happened."

"He has not yet become an elder statesman, though his foreign policy credentials are considerable, but he is certainly our ancient mariner, forever tugging at our sleeve to let him tell his tale of what really happened."

Ronald Steel, American Historian

Policy, Foreign policy

4

"No more distressing moment can ever face a British government than that which requires it to come to a hard, fast and specific decision."

"No more distressing moment can ever face a British government than that which requires it to come to a hard, fast and specific decision."

Barbara Tuchman, American Historian

Government, Decision

4

"I don't look to find an educated person in the ranks of university graduates, necessarily. Some of the most educated people I know have never been near a university."

"I don't look to find an educated person in the ranks of university graduates, necessarily. Some of the most educated people I know have never been near a university."

John Keegan, English Historian

People, University

4

"The chief incalculable in war is the human will."

"The chief incalculable in war is the human will."

B. H. Liddell Hart, British Historian

4

"In a balanced organization, working towards a common objective, there is success."

"In a balanced organization, working towards a common objective, there is success."

Arthur Helps, British Historian

4

"It is very difficult to hang onto the relics of history."

"It is very difficult to hang onto the relics of history."

Iris Chang, Chinese Historian

4

"Yet enthusiasm is no excuse for the historian going off balance. He should remind the reader that outcomes were neither inevitable nor foreordained, but subject to a thousand changes and chances."

"Yet enthusiasm is no excuse for the historian going off balance. He should remind the reader that outcomes were neither inevitable nor foreordained, but subject to a thousand changes and chances."

Samuel E. Morison, American Historian

Enthusiasm, Balance

4

"In real life, it is the hare who wins. Every time. Look around you. And in any case it is my contention that Aesop was writing for the tortoise market. Hares have no time to read. They are too busy winning the game."

"In real life, it is the hare who wins. Every time. Look around you. And in any case it is my contention that Aesop was writing for the tortoise market. Hares have no time to read. They are too busy winning the game."

Anita Brookner, English Historian

Time, Life, Winning, Contention

4

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