Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon FRS was an English historian, writer and Member of Parliament. His most important work, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788 and is known for the quality and irony of its prose, its use of primary sources, and its open criticism of organized religion...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionHistorian
Date of Birth27 April 1737
mind painful indolence
To an active mind, indolence is more painful than labor.
nice character differences
The most worthless of mankind are not afraid to condemn in others the same disorders which they allow in themselves; and can readily discover some nice difference in age, character, or station, to justify the partial distinction.
war justice humanity
War, in its fairest form, implies a perpetual violation of humanity and justice.
empires misery humans
The history of empires is the history of human misery.
voice history hatred
The voice of history is often little more than the organ of hatred or flattery.
hope children writing
In old age the consolation of hope is reserved for the tenderness of parents, who commence a new life in their children, the faith of enthusiasts, who sing hallelujahs above the clouds; and the vanity of authors, who presume the immortality of their name and writings.
writing air castles
There is more pleasure to building castles in the air than on the ground.
learning judging criticism
The author himself is the best judge of his own performance; none has so deeply meditated on the subject; none is so sincerely interested in the event.
freedom desire liberty
Their poverty secured their freedom, since our desires and our possessions are the strongest fetters of despotism.
friendship happiness sex
I understand by this passion the union of desire, friendship, and tenderness, which is inflamed by a single female, which prefers her to the rest of her sex, and which seeks her possession as the supreme or the sole happiness of our being.
money wish income
I am indeed rich, since my income is superior to my expenses, and my expense is equal to my wishes.
history disposition efficacy
But the power of instruction is seldom of much efficacy, except in those happy dispositions where it is almost superfluous.
sympathy suffering misery
Our sympathy is cold to the relation of distant misery.
army soldier navy
The courage of a soldier is found to be the cheapest and most common quality of human nature.