A foreign nation is a kind of contemporaneous posterity.

A foreign nation is a kind of contemporaneous posterity.

People will not look forward to posterity, who never look backward to their ancestors

People will not look forward to posterity, who never look backward to their ancestors

The man was laughed at as a blunderer who said in a public
business: "we do much for posterity; read more

The man was laughed at as a blunderer who said in a public
business: "we do much for posterity; I would fain see them do
something for us."

What dazzles, for the moment spends its spirit;
What's genuine, shall posterity inherit.
[Ger., Was glanzt ist read more

What dazzles, for the moment spends its spirit;
What's genuine, shall posterity inherit.
[Ger., Was glanzt ist fur den Augenblick geboren;
Das Aechte bleibt der Nachwelt unverloren.]

He thinks posterity is a pack-horse, always ready to be loaded.

He thinks posterity is a pack-horse, always ready to be loaded.

What has poster'ty done for us,
That we, lest they their rights should lose,
Should trust our read more

What has poster'ty done for us,
That we, lest they their rights should lose,
Should trust our necks to gripe of noose?

As to posterity, I may ask (with somebody whom I have forgot)
what has it ever done to oblige read more

As to posterity, I may ask (with somebody whom I have forgot)
what has it ever done to oblige me?

Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will read more

Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it.

I despise mankind in all its strata; I foresee that our
descendants will be still far unhappier than we read more

I despise mankind in all its strata; I foresee that our
descendants will be still far unhappier than we are. Would I not
be a criminal if, notwithstanding this view, I should provide for
progeny, i.e. for unfortunates?
[Ger., Ich verachte die Menschheit in allen ihren Schichten; ich
sehe es voraus, dass unsere Nachkommen noch weit unglucklicher
sein werden, als wir. Sollte ich nicht ein Sunder sein, wenn ich
trotz dieser Ansicht fur Nachkommen, d.h. fur Ungluckliche
sorgte?