Most history is a record of the triumphs, disasters, and follies of top people. The black hole in it is read more

Most history is a record of the triumphs, disasters, and follies of top people. The black hole in it is the way of life of mute, inglorious men and women who make no nuisance of themselves in the world.

History is the essence of innumerable Biographies.

History is the essence of innumerable Biographies.

The past grows gradually around one, like a placenta for dying.

The past grows gradually around one, like a placenta for dying.

War makes rattling good history; but Peace is poor reading.

War makes rattling good history; but Peace is poor reading.

In a certain sense all men are historians.

In a certain sense all men are historians.

Might does not make right, it only makes history.

Might does not make right, it only makes history.

I once asked my history teacher how we were expected to learn anything useful from his subject, when it seemed read more

I once asked my history teacher how we were expected to learn anything useful from his subject, when it seemed to me to be nothing but a monotonous and sordid succession of robber baron scumbags devoid of any admirable human qualities. I failed history.

The lessons of history? There are four: The bee fertilizes the flower it robs; whom the gods would destroy they read more

The lessons of history? There are four: The bee fertilizes the flower it robs; whom the gods would destroy they first make mad with power; the mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small; when it is dark enough, you can see the stars.

The contact with manners then is education; and this Thucydides
appears to assert when he says history is philosophy read more

The contact with manners then is education; and this Thucydides
appears to assert when he says history is philosophy learned from
examples.