--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: History is the preceptor of prudence, not…" description: "\"“History is the preceptor of prudence, not principles.”\" — Edmund Burke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/116/edmund-burke-400_history_history-is-the-preceptor-of-prudence-not_2552374.jpg" --- # History is the preceptor of prudence, not principles. ![“History is the preceptor of prudence, not principles.” quote by Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/116/edmund-burke-400_history_history-is-the-preceptor-of-prudence-not_2552374.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/116/edmund-burke-400_history_history-is-the-preceptor-of-prudence-not_2552374.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/116/edmund-burke-400_history_history-is-the-preceptor-of-prudence-not_2552374.jpg) > ““History is the preceptor of prudence, not principles.”” [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. History teaches practical wisdom, not abstract moral rules; learning from past outcomes guides prudent decisions. **In simple terms:** History offers practical lessons, not just moral ideas. Key Takeaway Apply historical lessons to current choices. Themes prudence history learning Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical advisory When to use this quote - government - education - leadership - ethical reasoning Key Concepts Historical analysis policy making Questions to Reflect On - What historical example informs your current dilemma? - When does precedent fail? A Different Perspective Past may not always predict future contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Preceptor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-preceptor-1533560/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Preceptor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preceptor-148379/) [Preceptor Prudence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preceptor-prudence-1533559/) [Prudence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prudence/) [Prudence Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prudence-principles-911510/) ## Related quotes > [People, the common people, can genuinely see what I'm doing. Moreover, people know that I have adopted four principles in living my life: simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-sattar-edhi/people-the-common-people-can-genuinely-see-what-i-m-doing-moreover/) [Abdul Sattar Edhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-sattar-edhi/) > [“Without God’s command there will be no force in your instructions and there will be no room for them in the mind of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-jibankrishna-or-diamond/without-god-s-command-there-will-be-no-force-in-your-instructions-and/) [Sri Jibankrishna or Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-jibankrishna-or-diamond/) > [“Captain, sir,' called Coster from the rear of the shed. 'Cleared to shit.' 'Proceed,' Fa'ared called back. The Preceptor glared at Coster. 'Can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-collins/captain-sir-called-coster-from-the-rear-of-the-shed-cleared-to-shit/) [Paul Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-collins/) > [“At the outset God-the-Preceptor ushers in the body in the process of Descent (Nigam) and stops in the fourth sheath as causal body. Life-power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-jibankrishna-or-diamond/at-the-outset-god-the-preceptor-ushers-in-the-body-in-the-process-of/) [Sri Jibankrishna or Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-jibankrishna-or-diamond/) > [“A man obtains his God-the-Preceptor at the age of twelve years and four months. At the age of twenty four years and eight months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-jibankrishna-diamond/a-man-obtains-his-god-the-preceptor-at-the-age-of-twelve-years-and/) [Sri Jibankrishna Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-jibankrishna-diamond/) > [“Life-power courses her way through the body and falls into the ocean of the Supreme Bliss, i.e., in the seventh plane. All these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-jibankrishna-or-diamond/life-power-courses-her-way-through-the-body-and-falls-into-the-ocean/) [Sri Jibankrishna or Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-jibankrishna-or-diamond/) > [“Let you follow the path of prayer and devotion and if God in you takes pity He will appear as God-the-preceptor and will show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-jibankrishna-or-diamond/let-you-follow-the-path-of-prayer-and-devotion-and-if-god-in-you/) [Sri Jibankrishna or Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-jibankrishna-or-diamond/) > [“Without the grace of God-the-Preceptor nothing will happen in spiritualism. He is within you and you need not go to Badrinarayan, Rameswar, Jerusalem or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-jibankrishna-or-diamond/without-the-grace-of-god-the-preceptor-nothing-will-happen-in/) [Sri Jibankrishna or Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-jibankrishna-or-diamond/) > [Rage and frenzy will pull down more in half an hour than prudence, deliberation, and foresight can build up in a hundred years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/rage-and-frenzy-will-pull-down-more-in-half-an-hour-than-prudence/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Prudence is a quality incompatible with vice, and can never be effectively enlisted in its cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/prudence-is-a-quality-incompatible-with-vice-and-can-never-be/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [There is a courageous wisdom; there is also a false, reptile prudence, the result not of caution but of fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/there-is-a-courageous-wisdom-there-is-also-a-false-reptile-prudence/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [The great must submit to the dominion of prudence and of virtue, or none will long submit to the dominion of the great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-great-must-submit-to-the-dominion-of-prudence-and-of-virtue-or-2/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Prudence is not only the first in rank of the virtues political and moral, but she is the director and regulator, the standard of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/prudence-is-not-only-the-first-in-rank-of-the-virtues-political-and/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [The great must submit to the dominion of prudence and of virtue, or none will long submit to the dominion of thegreat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-great-must-submit-to-the-dominion-of-prudence-and-of-virtue-or/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Fiscal prudence is very important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smriti-irani/fiscal-prudence-is-very-important/) [Smriti Irani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smriti-irani/) ## More by Edmund Burke > [It is the interest of the commercial world that wealth should be found everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/it-is-the-interest-of-the-commercial-world-that-wealth-should-be/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“Many of the greatest tyrants on the records of history have begun their reigns in the fairest manner. But the truth is, this unnatural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/many-of-the-greatest-tyrants-on-the-records-of-history-have-begun/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“Wise men will apply their remedies to vices, not to names; to the causes of evil which are permanent, not to the occasional organs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/wise-men-will-apply-their-remedies-to-vices-not-to-names-to-the/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [“A man full of warm, speculative benevolence may wish his society otherwise constituted than he finds it; but a good patriot, and a true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-man-full-of-warm-speculative-benevolence-may-wish-his-society/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [My vigour relents. I pardon something to the spirit of liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/my-vigour-relents-i-pardon-something-to-the-spirit-of-liberty/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [A speculative despair is unpardonable where it our duty to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-speculative-despair-is-unpardonable-where-it-our-duty-to-act/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [The great must submit to the dominion of prudence and of virtue, or none will long submit to the dominion of thegreat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-great-must-submit-to-the-dominion-of-prudence-and-of-virtue-or/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Those who have been once intoxicated with power, and have derived any kind of emolument from it, even though but for one year, never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/those-who-have-been-once-intoxicated-with-power-and-have-derived-any/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [What is it we all seek for in an election? To answer its real purposes, you must first possess the means of knowing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/what-is-it-we-all-seek-for-in-an-election-to-answer-its-real-purposes/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Society is indeed a contract. It is a partnership in all science; a partnership in all art; a partnership in every virtue, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/society-is-indeed-a-contract-it-is-a-partnership-in-all-science-a/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [You can never plan the future by the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/you-can-never-plan-the-future-by-the-past/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [The great inlet by which a colour for oppression has entered into the world is by one man's pretending to determine concerning the happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/the-great-inlet-by-which-a-colour-for-oppression-has-entered-into-the/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [By the disposition of a stupendous wisdom, moulding together the great mysterious incorporation of the human race, the whole, at one time, is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/by-the-disposition-of-a-stupendous-wisdom-moulding-together-the-great/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Religion, to have any force upon men's understandings,--indeed, to exist at all,--must be supposed paramount to law, and independent for its substance upon any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/religion-to-have-any-force-upon-men-s-understandings-indeed-to-exist/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Explore all 595 Edmund Burke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) ## More History quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The NBA is my history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/the-nba-is-my-history/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [History is a certain way, but you just change the point of view a little bit, and you discover a whole new side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/history-is-a-certain-way-but-you-just-change-the-point-of-view-a/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Today is a reality, tomorrow's a promise, and yesterday's history!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-blanks/today-is-a-reality-tomorrow-s-a-promise-and-yesterday-s-history/) [Billy Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-blanks/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) [C-DASH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-dash/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Browse all 27,263 History quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“History is the preceptor of prudence, not principles.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edmund Burke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/history-is-the-preceptor-of-prudence-not-principles/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "History" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/history-is-the-preceptor-of-prudence-not-principles/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/116/edmund-burke-400_history_history-is-the-preceptor-of-prudence-not_2552374.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/116/edmund-burke-400_history_history-is-the-preceptor-of-prudence-not_2552374.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/116/edmund-burke-400_history_history-is-the-preceptor-of-prudence-not_2552374.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“History is the preceptor of prudence, not principles.” — Edmund Burke", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Edmund Burke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“History is the preceptor of prudence,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/history-is-the-preceptor-of-prudence-not-principles/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/history-is-the-preceptor-of-prudence-not-principles/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```