History will die if not irritated. The only service I can do to my profession is to serve as a flea. — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
If I grapple with sin in my own strength, the devil knows he may go to sleep. — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
The historian must not try to know what is truth, if he values his honesty; for if he cares for his truths,… — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
For after all man knows mighty little, and may some day learn enough of his own ignorance to fall down again and… — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
Analogies are figures intended to serve as fatal weapons if they succeed, and as innocent toys if they fail. — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
If our minds could get hold of one abstract truth, they would be immortal so far as that truth is concerned. My… — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
If Thought is capable of being classed with Electricity, or Will with chemical affinity, as a mode of motion, it seems necessary… — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
The whole fabric of society will go to wrack if we really lay hands of reform on our rotten institutions. From top… — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
If Washington were President now, he would have to learn our ways or lose his next election. Only fools and theorists imagine… — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
The spring is here, young and beautiful as ever, and absolutely shocking in its display of reckless maternity; but the Judas treewill… — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
If any one of us has had an ambition higher than that of making money; a motive better than that of expediency;… — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
If it were worth while to argue a paradox, one might maintain that nature regards the female as the essential, the male… — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
[regarding US conquest of the Philippines] "I turn green in bed at midnight if I think of the horror of a year's… — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
A certain secret jealousy of the British Minister is always lurking in the breast of every American Senator, if he is truly… — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
[P]olitical and social and scientific values ... should be correlated in some relation of movement that could be expressed in mathematics, nor… — Henry Adams Copy Share Image
I am fairly tired--bored beyond endurance--by the world we live in, and its ideals, and am ready to say so, not violently, but kindly,… — Henry Adams Copy Share
“One had heard and read a great deal about death, and even seen a little of it, and knew by heart the thousand commonplaces… — Henry Adams Copy Share
The chief wonder of education is that it does not ruin everybody concerned in it, teachers and taught. — Henry Adams Copy Share
The American President resembles the commander of a ship at sea. He must have a helm to grasp, a course to steer, a port… — Henry Adams Copy Share
The proof that a philosopher does not know what he is talking about is apt to sadden his followers before it reacts on himself. — Henry Adams Copy Share
In the history of the United States, there is no continuity at all. You can cut through it anywhere and nothing on this side… — Henry Adams Copy Share
“Washington was no politician as we understand the word," replied Ratcliffe abruptly. "He stood outside of politics. The thing couldn't be done today. The… — Henry Adams Copy Share
If I grapple with sin in my own strength, the devil knows he may go to sleep. — Henry Adams Copy Share
All State education is a sort of dynamo machine for polarizing the popular mind; for turning and holding its lines of force in the… — Henry Adams Copy Share
You may cut off the heads of every rich man now living--of every statesman--every literary, and every scientific authority, without in the least changing… — Henry Adams Copy Share
History is the most aristocratic of all literary pursuits, because it obliges the historian to be rich as well as educated. — Henry Adams Copy Share
The philosopher says--I am, and the church scouts his philosophy. She answers:--No! you are NOT, you have no existence of your own. You were… — Henry Adams Copy Share
![“[regarding US conquest of the Philippines] "I turn green in bed at midnight if I think of the horror of a year's warfare in the Philippines [...] We must slaughter a million or two foolish Malays in order to give them the comforts of flannel petticoats and electric railways.” quote by Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/henry-adams-1542_bed_regarding-us-conquest-of-the-philippines_482855.png)
![“[P]olitical and social and scientific values ... should be correlated in some relation of movement that could be expressed in mathematics, nor did one care in the least that all the world said it could not be done, or that one knew not enough mathematics even to figure a formula beyond the…” quote by Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/062/henry-adams-1542_attraction_p-olitical-and-social-and-scientific-val_2213281.png)