George Bancroft

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The fears of one class of men are not the measure of the rights of another.

George Bancroft (1800-10-03 – 1891-01-17) was an American historian and diplomat, best known for his History of the United States.

[edit] Sourced

[edit] A History of the United States (1834-74)

Quotations are cited from the 1876 Little, Brown edition.

• The fears of one class of men are not the measure of the rights of another.
  • Vol. 1, ch. 10, p. 365

• Avarice is the vice of declining years.
  • Vol. 1, ch. 13, p. 484

• Institutions may crumble and governments fall, but it is only that they may renew a better youth, and mount upwards like the eagle.
  • Vol. 3, ch. 1, p. 8

[edit] Literary and Historical Miscellanies (1855)

Quotations are cited from the 1st edition (New York: Harper, 1855).

• Ennui is the desire of activity without the fit means of gratifying the desire.
  • "Ennui" (1830), p. 48

• Truth is not exciting enough to those who depend on the characters and lives of their neighbors for all their amusement; and if a story is told of more than common interest, ennui is sure to have its joy in adding embellishments. If hours did not hang heavy, what would become of scandal?
  • "Ennui", p. 64

• By common consent grey hairs are a crown of glory; the only object of respect that can never excite envy.
  • "The Ruling Passion in Death" (1833), p. 75

• The best government rests on the people and not on the few, on persons and not on property, on the free development of public opinion and not on authority.
  • "The Office of the People in Art, Government and Religion" (1835), p. 421

• Sedition is bred in the lap of luxury and its chosen emissaries are the beggared spendthrift and the impoverished libertine.
  • "The Office of the People in Art, Government and Religion", p. 424

• The exact measure of the progress of civilization is the degree in which the intelligence of the common mind has prevailed over wealth and brute force.
  • "The Office of the People in Art, Government and Religion", pp. 426-7

• The prejudices of ignorance are more easily removed than the prejudices of interest; the first are blindly adopted; the second wilfully preferred.
  • "The Office of the People in Art, Government and Religion", p. 430

• Beauty itself is but the sensible image of the Infinite.
  • "The Necessity, the Reality, and the Promise of the Progress of the Human Race" (1854), p. 489

• It is when the hour of conflict is over, that history comes to a right understanding of the strife, and is ready to exclaim, "Lo! God is here, and we knew it not."
  • "The Necessity, the Reality, and the Promise of the Progress of the Human Race", p. 491

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George Bancroft