Authors:
  1. Quotes
  2. Authors
  3. E
  4. Edward Gibbon
  5. Memories

Edward Gibbon Quotes about Memories

All Edward Gibbon Quotes Abuse Accidents Age Ambition Army Art Atheism Authority Birth Character Children Christianity Church Community Constitution Corruption Country Curiosity Desire Discipline Education Effort Evil Exercise Fame Fashion Freedom Giving Glory Gratitude Greatness Greek Growth Guilt Heaven History Honor Humanity Imagination Independence Joy Judging Justice Language Liberty Loneliness Loss Lying Memories quotes Mercy Military Monk Obedience Passion Past Philosophy Poverty Prejudice Pride Progress Reading Reflection Regret Religion Revenge Safety School Science Separation Son Study Tyranny Victory Violence Virtue Wall Weakness Wealth Wisdom Writing
The Germans, in the age of Tacitus, were unacquainted with the use of letters; and the use of letters is the principal circumstance that distinguishes a civilised people from a herd of savages incapable of knowledge or

The Germans, in the age of Tacitus, were unacquainted with the use of letters; and the use of letters is the principal circumstance that distinguishes a civilised people from a herd of savages incapable of knowledge or reflection. Without that artificial help, the human memory soon dissipates or corrupts the ideas intrusted to her charge; and the nobler faculties of the mind, no longer supplied with models or with materials, gradually forget their powers; the judgment becomes feeble and lethargic, the imagination languid or irregular.

Edward Gibbon
Memories, Reflection, Ideas
Edward Gibbon (1854). “The history of the decline and fall of the Roman empire”, p.354

Genius may anticipate the season of maturity; but in the education of a people, as in that of an individual, memory must be exercised, before the powers of reason and fancy can be expanded: nor may the artist hope to equal or surpass, till he has learned to imitate, the works of his predecessors.

Edward Gibbon
Memories, Artist, Maturity
Edward Gibbon (1826). “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.275

It has always been my practice to cast a long paragraph in a single mould, to try it by my ear, to deposit it in my memory, but to suspend the action of the pen till I had given the last polish to my work.

Edward Gibbon
Memories, Writing, Practice
Edward Gibbon, John Holroyd Earl of Sheffield (1837). “The Miscellaneous Works of Edward Gibbon, Esq: With Memoirs of His Life and Writings”, p.97

The grateful applause of the clergy has consecrated the memory of a prince, who indulged their passions and promoted their interest. Constantine gave them security, wealth, honours, and revenge; and the support of the orthodox faith was considered as the most sacred and important duty of the civil magistrate. The edict of Milan, the great charter of toleration, had confirmed to each individual of the Roman world the privilege of choosing and professing his own religion.

Edward Gibbon
Memories, Revenge, Grateful
Edward Gibbon (2013). “History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, p.169, Simon and Schuster

You May Also Like: