Top 25 Quotes by Edward Gibbon of 355 - Page 6

The chaste severity of the fathers in whatever related to the commerce of the two sexes flowed from the same principle -- their abhorrence of every enjoyment which might gratify the sensual and degrade the spiritual

The chaste severity of the fathers in whatever related to the commerce of the two sexes flowed from the same principle -- their abhorrence of every enjoyment which might gratify the sensual and degrade the spiritual nature of man. It was their favourite opinion, that if Adam had preserved his obedience to the Creator, he would have lived for ever in a state of virgin purity, and that some harmless mode of vegetation might have peopled paradise with a race of innocent and immortal beings.

Edward Gibbon

Spiritual, Sex, Father

Edward Gibbon (2015). “History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire V1: the History Focus”, p.350, 谷月社

The laws of probability, so true in general, so fallacious in particular.

Edward Gibbon

Science, Law, Statistics

Gibbon's Autobiography (p. 124)

Europe is secure from any future irruptions of Barbarians; since, before they can conquer, they must cease to be barbarous.

Edward Gibbon

Europe, Barbarians, Conquer

Edward Gibbon (1826). “The history of the decline and fall of the Roman empire”, p.511

The monastic studies have tended, for the most part, to darken, rather than to dispel, the cloud of superstition.

Edward Gibbon

Clouds, Superstitions, Study

Edward Gibbon (1854). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.122

To an active mind, indolence is more painful than labor.

Edward Gibbon

Mind, Painful, Indolence

Edward Gibbon (2015). “Delphi Complete Works of Edward Gibbon (Illustrated)”, p.32, Delphi Classics

The manly pride of the Romans, content with substantial power, had left to the vanity of the East the forms and ceremonies of ostentatious greatness. But when they lost even the semblance of those virtues which were derived from their ancient freedom, the simplicity of Roman manners was insensibly corrupted by the stately affectation of the courts of Asia.

Edward Gibbon

Pride, Greatness, Vanity

Edward Gibbon (1875). “History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.107

[The] operation of the wisest laws is imperfect and precarious. They seldom inspire virtue, they cannot always restrain vice.

Edward Gibbon

Law, Inspire, Vices

Edward Gibbon (1998). “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.372, Wordsworth Editions

If we are more affected by the ruin of a palace than by the conflagration of a cottage, our humanity must have formed a very erroneous estimate of the miseries of human life.

Edward Gibbon

Humanity, Sorrow, Cottages

Edward Gibbon (1854). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.24

The science of the laws is the slow growth of time and experience.

Edward Gibbon

Law, Growth, Slow Growth

Edward Gibbon, Henry Hart Milman, Guizot (M., François), Sir William Smith (1862). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.285

The pathetic almost always consists in the detail of little events.

Edward Gibbon

Events, Details, Littles

The end comes when we no longer talk with ourselves. It is the end of genuine thinking and the beginning of the final loneliness.

Edward Gibbon

Time, Loneliness, Being Alone

The aspiring efforts of genius, or virtue, either in active or speculative life, are measured, not so much by their real elevation, as by the height to which they ascend above the level of their age and country; and the same stature, which in a people of giants would pass unnoticed, must appear conspicuous in a race of pygmies.

Edward Gibbon

Country, Real, Race

Edward Gibbon (2016). “THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (All 6 Volumes): From the Height of the Roman Empire, the Age of Trajan and the Antonines - to the Fall of Byzantium; Including a Review of the Crusades, and the State of Rome during the Middle Ages”, p.2014, e-artnow

The patient and active virtues of a soldier are insensibly nursed in the habits and discipline of a pastoral life.

Edward Gibbon

Discipline, Soldier, Patient

Edward Gibbon (2013). “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: The Modern Library Collection (Complete and Unabridged)”, p.894, Modern Library

To maintain the harmony of authority and obedience, to chastise the proud, to protect the weak, to reward the deserving, to banish vice and idleness from his dominions, to secure the traveller and merchant, to restrain the depredations of the soldier, to cherish the labors of the husbandman, to encourage industry and learning, and, by an equal and moderate assessment, to increase the revenue, without increasing the taxes, are indeed the duties of a prince . . .

Edward Gibbon

Assessment, Soldier, Proud

Edward Gibbon (2016). “THE HISTORY OF THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (All 6 Volumes): From the Height of the Roman Empire, the Age of Trajan and the Antonines - to the Fall of Byzantium; Including a Review of the Crusades, and the State of Rome during the Middle Ages”, p.3284, e-artnow

The frequent repetition of miracles serves to provoke, where it does not subdue, the reason of mankind.

Edward Gibbon

History, Miracle, Doe

Edward Gibbon (1875). “History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.263

The voice of history is often little more than the organ of hatred or flattery.

Edward Gibbon

Voice, History, Hatred

Edward Gibbon (2015). “History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire V1: the History Focus”, p.208, 谷月社

[The monks'] minds were inaccessible to reason or mercy . . .

Edward Gibbon

Mind, Mercy, Monk

Yet the civilians have always respected the natural right of a citizen to dispose of his life . . .

Edward Gibbon

Citizens, Natural, Civilians

Edward Gibbon, Henry Hart Milman, Guizot (M., François), Sir William Smith (1862). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.326

But this inestimable privilege was soon violated: with the knowledge of truth the emperor imbibed the maxims of persecution; and the sects which dissented from the catholic church were afflicted and oppressed by the triumph of Christianity. Constantine easily believed that the heretics, who presumed to dispute his opinions or to oppose his commands, were guilty of the most absurd and criminal obstinacy; and that a seasonable application of moderate severities might save those unhappy men from the danger of an everlasting condemnation.

Edward Gibbon

Men, History, Catholic

Edward Gibbon (1837). “The history of the decline and fall of the Roman empire”, p.292

From the paths of blood (and such is the history of nations) I cannot refuse to turn aside to gather some flowers of science or virtue.

Edward Gibbon

Flower, Blood, Path

Edward Gibbon (1822). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.465

[The] noblest of [Arabs] united the love of arms with the profession of merchandise.

Edward Gibbon

Arms, United, Profession

Fanaticism obliterates the feelings of humanity.

Edward Gibbon

Feelings, Humanity, Emotion

Edward Gibbon (1998). “Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.814, Wordsworth Editions

Such, indeed, is the policy of civil war: severely to remember injuries, and to forget the most important services. Revenge is profitable, gratitude is expensive.

Edward Gibbon

Gratitude, Revenge, War

Edward Gibbon (1854). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.19