Wednesday, March 11, 2009

On history and historians

Different people look at same things in different ways! See how a topic like history and historians can be defined by different people.
Hosabettu Viswanath has compiled some interesting quotations on history and historians here below for your reading pleasure:
1. "For historians ought to be precise, truthful, and quite unprejudiced, and neither interest nor fear, hatred nor affection, should cause them to swerve from the path of truth, whose mother is history, the rival of time, the depository of great actions, the witness of what is past, the example and instruction of the present, the monitor of the future." - Miguel De Cervantes (1547-1616), Spanish Novelist, dramatist, Poet.
2. "Historian - an unsuccessful novelist." - H.L. Mencken (1880-1956)American Editor, Author, Critic, Humorist.
3. "To give an accurate description of what has never occurred is not merely the proper occupation of the historian, but the inalienable privilege of any man of parts and culture." - Oscar Wilde (1856-1900), British Author & Wit.
4. "History is but a confused heap of facts." - Lord Chesterfield (1694-1773), British Statesman, Author.
5. "Not to know what has been transacted in former times is to be always a child. If no use is made of the labors of past ages, the world must remain always in the infancy of knowledge." - Marcus T. Cicero (c. 106-43 BC, Great Roman Orator, Politician.
6. "History is always written wrong, and so always needs to be rewritten." - George Santayana (1863-1952), American Philosopher, Poet.

Add your favourite quotes on the subject if any.

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