Quotes by Philosophers Of History

Enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first an ideal which takes the imagination by storm and sec ond a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice.

Militarism has been by far the commonest cause of the breakdown of civilizations. The single art of war makes progress at the expense of all the arts of peace.

We have been God-like in our planned breeding of our domestic plants and animals but rabbit-like in our unplanned breeding of ourselves.

It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.

Civilization is a movement - not a condition a voyage - not a harbour.

The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play.

The history of almost every civilization furnishes examples of geographical expansion coinciding with deterioration in quality.

We are in the first age since the dawn of civilization in which people have dared to think it practicable to make the benefits of civilization available to the whole human race.

To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of civilization.

Civilization is a movement and not a condition a voyage and not a harbor.

Anxiety and conscience are a powerful pair of dynamos. Between them they have ensured that I shall work hard but they cannot ensure that one shall work at anything worthwhile.