The history of creation is but a succession of battles between amateurs of genius-inspired heretics- and orthodox professionals. — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
[T]hat is the triumph of history - truth absolute is not at hand; the original with which to match the copy does… — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
“Except among those whose education has been in the minimalist style, it is understood that hasty moral judgments about people in the… — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
To delve into history entails, besides the grievance of hard work, the danger that in the depths one may lose one’s scapegoats. — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
I have always been - I think any student of history almost inevitably is - a cheerful pessimist. — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
No one has ever used historical examples, near or remote, with the detail, precision, and directness to be found in every page… — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
History, like a vast river, propels logs, vegetation, rafts, and debris; it is full of live and dead things, some destined for… — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
Science is an all-pervasive energy, for it is at once a mode of thought, a source of strong emotion, and a faith… — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
It seems a long time since the morning mail could be called correspondence. — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition. — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
The reason why research is like sculpting from memory is that in neither is there a concrete visible subject to copy directly. The subject… — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
Everybody keeps calling for Excellence - excellence not just in schooling, throughout society. But as soon as somebody or something stands out as Excellent,… — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
Bernard Shaw remains the only model we have of what the citizen of a democracy should be: an informed participant in all things we… — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
The ascetic is often a sensualist who has reached the limit of his capacity. — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
Idealism springs from deep feelings, but feelings are nothing without the formulated idea that keeps them whole. — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years. — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
The mind tends to run along the groove of one's intention and overlook the actual expression. — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
Vanity is a static thing. It puts it faith in what it has, and is easily wounded. Pride is active, and satisfied only with… — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image
By the time I was 9, I had the conviction that everybody in the world was an artist except plumbers or people who delivered groceries. — Jacques Barzun Copy Share Image