Quotes by Historian | Beyond Motive 9/30

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Quotes by Historian

"Enthusiasm could not supply the place of experience."

"Enthusiasm could not supply the place of experience."

John Lothrop Motley, American Historian

Experience, Enthusiasm

15

"Death not merely ends life, it also bestows upon it a silent completeness, snatched from the hazardous flux to which all things human are subject."

"Death not merely ends life, it also bestows upon it a silent completeness, snatched from the hazardous flux to which all things human are subject."

Hannah Arendt, German Historian

15

"Every thing secret degenerates, even the administration of justice; nothing is safe that does not show how it can bear discussion and publicity."

"Every thing secret degenerates, even the administration of justice; nothing is safe that does not show how it can bear discussion and publicity."

Lord Acton, British Historian

Justice, Nothing, Publicity

15

"There isn't much in the way of pure communist spirit, because the whole nation seems to be engaged in capitalistic enterprises. Much of the country still operates under government control."

"There isn't much in the way of pure communist spirit, because the whole nation seems to be engaged in capitalistic enterprises. Much of the country still operates under government control."

Iris Chang, Chinese Historian

Government, Control, Country, Nation

15

"If it were a real effort to live in the Middle Ages, your life would be one perpetual prevarication."

"If it were a real effort to live in the Middle Ages, your life would be one perpetual prevarication."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

15

"The greatest men, you can quote for everything."

"The greatest men, you can quote for everything."

John Acton, English Historian

15

"The knife of historical relativism... which has cut to pieces all metaphysics and religion must also bring about healing."

"The knife of historical relativism... which has cut to pieces all metaphysics and religion must also bring about healing."

Wilhelm Dilthey, German Historian

Religion, Healing, Metaphysics

15

"Only the mob and the elite can be attracted by the momentum of totalitarianism itself. The masses have to be won by propaganda."

"Only the mob and the elite can be attracted by the momentum of totalitarianism itself. The masses have to be won by propaganda."

Hannah Arendt, German Historian

Mob, Propaganda

15

"Never had there been such an attempt to make conquest the servant of civilization. About keeping India there is no question. England has a real duty there."

"Never had there been such an attempt to make conquest the servant of civilization. About keeping India there is no question. England has a real duty there."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Civilization, Conquest, Duty, England

15

"I'm not sure Lincoln would fare well if he were a presidential candidate today."

"I'm not sure Lincoln would fare well if he were a presidential candidate today."

David Herbert Donald, American Historian

Politics, Today

15

"The man of the house can destroy the pleasure of the household, but he cannot make it. That rests with the woman, and it is her greatest privilege."

"The man of the house can destroy the pleasure of the household, but he cannot make it. That rests with the woman, and it is her greatest privilege."

Arthur Helps, British Historian

Man, Pleasure, Privilege, Woman

15

"A master of improvised speech and improvised policies."

"A master of improvised speech and improvised policies."

A. J. P. Taylor, British Historian

President, Speech

15

"It is human nature to hate the man whom you have hurt."

"It is human nature to hate the man whom you have hurt."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Nature, Hate, Humannature, Hurt

15

"History is everything that has ever happened."

"History is everything that has ever happened."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

15

"A man's action is only a picture book of his creed."

"A man's action is only a picture book of his creed."

Arthur Helps, British Historian

15

"Science gives us knowledge, but only philosophy can give us wisdom."

"Science gives us knowledge, but only philosophy can give us wisdom."

Will Durant, American Historian

Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Philosophy

15

"Machiavelli's teaching would hardly have stood the test of Parliamentary government, for public discussion demands at least the profession of good faith."

"Machiavelli's teaching would hardly have stood the test of Parliamentary government, for public discussion demands at least the profession of good faith."

Lord Acton, British Historian

Faith, Government, Profession, Public

15

"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

15

"The unrecorded past is none other than our old friend, the tree in the primeval forest which fell without being heard."

"The unrecorded past is none other than our old friend, the tree in the primeval forest which fell without being heard."

Barbara Tuchman, American Historian

Friendship, Friend, Being, Old, Past

15

"The higher your station, the less your liberty."

"The higher your station, the less your liberty."

Sallust, Roman Historian

15

"Unprovided with original learning, unformed in the habits of thinking, unskilled in the arts of composition, I resolved to write a book."

"Unprovided with original learning, unformed in the habits of thinking, unskilled in the arts of composition, I resolved to write a book."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Habit, Habits, Learning, Thinking

15

"Instruction does not prevent wasted time or mistakes; and mistakes themselves are often the best teachers of all."

"Instruction does not prevent wasted time or mistakes; and mistakes themselves are often the best teachers of all."

James Anthony Froude, English Historian

Time, Mistakes, Teachers

15

"Rome was great in arms, in government, in law."

"Rome was great in arms, in government, in law."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Government, Law, Rome

15

"Washington's character was rock solid. He came to stand for the new nation and its republican virtues, which was why he became our first President by unanimous choice."

"Washington's character was rock solid. He came to stand for the new nation and its republican virtues, which was why he became our first President by unanimous choice."

Stephen Ambrose, American Historian

Character, Choice, First, Nation

15

"Yet for my part, deeply as I am moved by the religious architecture of the Middle Ages, I cannot honestly say that I ever felt the slightest emotion in any modern Gothic church."

"Yet for my part, deeply as I am moved by the religious architecture of the Middle Ages, I cannot honestly say that I ever felt the slightest emotion in any modern Gothic church."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

Architecture, Church, Emotion, Religious

15

"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

15

"Toil and pleasure, dissimilar in nature, are nevertheless united by a certain natural bond."

"Toil and pleasure, dissimilar in nature, are nevertheless united by a certain natural bond."

Titus Livius, Roman Historian

Nature, Pleasure, United

15

"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

15

"Give us the luxuries of life, and we will dispense with its necessaries."

"Give us the luxuries of life, and we will dispense with its necessaries."

John Lothrop Motley, American Historian

15

"Sooner or later, man has always had to decide whether he worships his own power or the power of God."

"Sooner or later, man has always had to decide whether he worships his own power or the power of God."

Arnold J. Toynbee, British Historian

Power, God, Man

15

"There were gentlemen and there were seamen in the navy of Charles the Second. But the seamen were not gentlemen; and the gentlemen were not seamen."

"There were gentlemen and there were seamen in the navy of Charles the Second. But the seamen were not gentlemen; and the gentlemen were not seamen."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

Disparity, Gentlemen, Navy, Seamen

15

"Leadership is particularly necessary to ensure ready acceptance of the unfamiliar and that which is contrary to tradition."

"Leadership is particularly necessary to ensure ready acceptance of the unfamiliar and that which is contrary to tradition."

Cyril Falls, English Historian

Leadership, Acceptance, Tradition

15

"Every bad precedent originated as a justifiable measure."

"Every bad precedent originated as a justifiable measure."

Sallust, Roman Historian

Precedent, Measure

15

"It is always good men who do the most harm in the world."

"It is always good men who do the most harm in the world."

Henry B. Adams, American Historian

Man, Men, Harm, World

15

"I understand by this passion the union of desire, friendship, and tenderness, which is inflamed by a single female, which prefers her to the rest of her sex, and which seeks her possession as the supreme or the sole happiness of our being."

"I understand by this passion the union of desire, friendship, and tenderness, which is inflamed by a single female, which prefers her to the rest of her sex, and which seeks her possession as the supreme or the sole happiness of our being."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

Friendship, Happiness, Sex, Being

15

"Assuming China does not become destabilized and continues to grow, it will no doubt develop a military program in proportion to its resources."

"Assuming China does not become destabilized and continues to grow, it will no doubt develop a military program in proportion to its resources."

Martin van Creveld, Israeli Historian

Doubt, Military, Will

15

"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

15

"To plunder, to slaughter, to steal, these things they misname empire; and where they make a wilderness, they call it peace."

"To plunder, to slaughter, to steal, these things they misname empire; and where they make a wilderness, they call it peace."

Tacitus, Roman Historian

Peace, Wilderness

15

"Dante himself is open to the suspicion of partiality: it is said, not without apparent ground, that he puts into hell all the enemies of the political cause, which, in his eyes, was that of Italy and God."

"Dante himself is open to the suspicion of partiality: it is said, not without apparent ground, that he puts into hell all the enemies of the political cause, which, in his eyes, was that of Italy and God."

Goldwin Smith, Canadian Historian

God, Cause, Enemies, Eyes

15

"I think I was always subconsciously driven by an attempt to restate that faith and to show where it was properly grounded, how it grew out of what a great many young men on both sides felt and believed and were brave enough to do."

"I think I was always subconsciously driven by an attempt to restate that faith and to show where it was properly grounded, how it grew out of what a great many young men on both sides felt and believed and were brave enough to do."

Bruce Catton, American Historian

15

"Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give lustre, and many more people see than weigh."

"Knowledge may give weight, but accomplishments give lustre, and many more people see than weigh."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

People, Knowledge, Accomplishments, May

15

"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

15

"Beauty is an outward gift which is seldom despised, except by those to whom it has been refused."

"Beauty is an outward gift which is seldom despised, except by those to whom it has been refused."

Edward Gibbon, English Historian

15

"To speak ill of others is a dishonest way of praising ourselves. Nothing is often a good thing to say, and always a clever thing to say."

"To speak ill of others is a dishonest way of praising ourselves. Nothing is often a good thing to say, and always a clever thing to say."

Will Durant, American Historian

15

"The ears of men are lesser agents of belief than their eyes."

"The ears of men are lesser agents of belief than their eyes."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

Man, Men, Belief, Eyes

15

"Great deeds are usually wrought at great risks."

"Great deeds are usually wrought at great risks."

Herodotus, Greek Historian

15

"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

15

"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

15

"We know no spectacle so ridiculous as the British public in one of its periodical fits of morality."

"We know no spectacle so ridiculous as the British public in one of its periodical fits of morality."

Thomas B. Macaulay, English Historian

Morality, Public

15

"However, the sciences of society and of history retained their old subservient relation to metaphysics for a long time - well into the eighteenth century."

"However, the sciences of society and of history retained their old subservient relation to metaphysics for a long time - well into the eighteenth century."

Wilhelm Dilthey, German Historian

History, Society, Time, Metaphysics

15

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