Behave Quote by E. M. Forster

The historian must have some conception of how men who are not historians behave.

— Edward Gibbon

The historian ought to be the humblest of men; he is faced a dozen times a day with the evidence of his own ignorance;…

— C. V. Wedgwood

The historian is looked upon as objective when he measures the past by the popular opinions of his own time, as subjective when he…

— Georg Brandes

An historian should yield himself to his subject, become immersed in the place and period of his choice, standing apart from it now and…

— Samuel Eliot Morison

History must speak for itself. A historian is content if he has been able to shed more light.

— William L. Shirer

One cannot be a good historian of the outward, visible world without giving some thought to the hidden, private life of ordinary people; and…

— Victor Hugo

In his commerce with men I mean him to include- and that principally- those who live only in the memory of books. By means…

— Michel de Montaigne

The historian ought to be an educated person, writing for other educated people about something which they don't know about, but wish to know…

— John Keegan

A historian is interested in the past because he is interested in life... a deeply felt need to assure the continuity of human life…

— Ralph Davis

Since God himself cannot change the past, He is obliged to tolerate the existence of historians.

— Samuel Butler

A good historian is timeless; although he is a patriot, he will never flatter his country in any respect.

— Francois Fenelon

The historian must not try to know what is truth, if he values his honesty; for if he cares for his truths, he is…

— Henry Adams