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 nations which have put mankind and posterity most in their debt have been small states Israel, Athens, Florence, Elizabethan read more

The nations which have put mankind and posterity most in their debt have been small states Israel, Athens, Florence, Elizabethan England

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?

Strangers are contemporary posterity.
[Fr., Les etrangers sont la posterite contemporaine.]

Strangers are contemporary posterity.
[Fr., Les etrangers sont la posterite contemporaine.]

After all, it is style alone by which posterity will judge of a great work, for an author can have read more

After all, it is style alone by which posterity will judge of a great work, for an author can have nothing truly his own but his style

The survivorship of a worthy man in his son is a pleasure scarce
inferior to the hopes of the read more

The survivorship of a worthy man in his son is a pleasure scarce
inferior to the hopes of the continuance of his own life.

Why should we put ourselves out of our way to do anything for
posterity; for what has posterity done read more

Why should we put ourselves out of our way to do anything for
posterity; for what has posterity done for us?

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?

Think of your forefathers! Think of your posterity!

Think of your forefathers! Think of your posterity!