--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [Mr. Bates comments on the description of…" description: "\"“ [Mr. Bates comments on the description of Robespierre in History of the French Revolution by M. J. L. Adolphe Thiers] He was a living proof that[,] i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/edward-bates-78244_french-revolution_mr-bates-comments-on-the-description-of_3162133.png" --- # \[Mr. Bates comments on the description of Robespierre in… ![“[Mr. Bates comments on the description of Robespierre in History of the French Revolution by M. J. L. Adolphe Thiers] He was a living proof that[,] in civil troubles, obstinate mediocrity is more powerful than the irregularity of genius. It is not only in civil troubles but in all the affairs of…” quote by Edward Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/edward-bates-78244_french-revolution_mr-bates-comments-on-the-description-of_3162133.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/edward-bates-78244_french-revolution_mr-bates-comments-on-the-description-of_3162133.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/edward-bates-78244_french-revolution_mr-bates-comments-on-the-description-of_3162133.png) > ““ \[Mr. Bates comments on the description of Robespierre in History of the French Revolution by M. J. L. Adolphe Thiers\] He was a living proof that\[,\] in civil troubles, obstinate mediocrity is more powerful than the irregularity of genius. It is not only in civil troubles but in all the affairs of life, that obstinate mediocrity triumphs over irregular genius, and enjoys the fruits of victory. The Diary of Edward Bates, Entry for March 7, 1865, Edited by Howard K. Beale ”” Edward Bates ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mediocre persistence often outweighs brilliant but irregular talent in crises and everyday life. **In simple terms:** Stubborn mediocrity beats irregular genius. Key Takeaway Value consistent effort over occasional brilliance. Themes mediocrity persistence talent societal dynamics Mood analytical critical Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - workplace politics - educational reform - political movements - team projects Key Concepts social conformity institutional inertia power of the average Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance consistency with innovation? - When does mediocrity become harmful? A Different Perspective May undervalue the role of exceptional insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [French revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/french-revolution/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living proof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-proof/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Robespierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robespierre/) ## Related quotes > [Robespierre, however, was not the type of leader finally destined to emerge from the Revolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-babbitt/robespierre-however-was-not-the-type-of-leader-finally-destined-to/) [Irving Babbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-babbitt/) > [“The Republic is six months old, and it’s flying apart. It has no cohesive force—only a monarchy has that. Surely you can see? We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/the-republic-is-six-months-old-and-it-s-flying-apart-it-has-no/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“The idea of a specifically Robespierrist terror was a myth, invented by the Termidoreans, the men who overthrew Robespierre, who themselves were very much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisa-linton/the-idea-of-a-specifically-robespierrist-terror-was-a-myth-invented/) Marisa Linton > [“I want to make love to the French Revolution. Or maybe just get some head from Robespierre.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-want-to-make-love-to-the-french-revolution-or-maybe-just-get-some/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“In Paris the swaying lanterns are lit in the streets; lights shine through water, fuzzy, diffuse. Saint-Just sits by an insufficient fire, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/in-paris-the-swaying-lanterns-are-lit-in-the-streets-lights-shine/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“Talking to Robespierre, one tried to make the right noises; but what is right, these days? Address yourself to the militant, and you find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/talking-to-robespierre-one-tried-to-make-the-right-noises-but-what-is/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“I resent you—” Robespierre said. His words were lost. “The People,” he shouted, “are everywhere good, and if they obstruct the Revolution—even, for example,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/i-resent-you-robespierre-said-his-words-were-lost-the-people-he/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“You must, of course. Robespierre doesn’t lie or cheat or steal, doesn’t get drunk, doesn’t fornicate—overmuch. He’s not a hedonist or a mainchancer or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/you-must-of-course-robespierre-doesn-t-lie-or-cheat-or-steal-doesn-t/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“Had Napoleon been thoroughly unselfish, Grant suggested, he would have been the greatest man in history, such was his military genius. When a young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/had-napoleon-been-thoroughly-unselfish-grant-suggested-he-would-have/) [Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/) > [“I have always been interested in this man . My father had a set of Tom Paine 's books on the shelf at home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-have-always-been-interested-in-this-man-my-father-had-a-set-of-tom/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [“Inside his copy of The Social Contract he keeps a letter from a young Picard, an enthusiast called Antoine Saint-Just: “I know you, Robespierre,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/inside-his-copy-of-the-social-contract-he-keeps-a-letter-from-a-young/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [Modern free-traders... embrace their ideal with a passion that makes Robespierre seem prudent. They embrace unbridled free trade, even as it helps China become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lighthizer/modern-free-traders-embrace-their-ideal-with-a-passion-that-makes/) [Robert Lighthizer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lighthizer/) > [Robespierre, this pedant of freedom!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/robespierre-this-pedant-of-freedom/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [“Robespierre has never forgiven his friends the injuries he has done them, nor the kindnesses he has received from them, nor the talents some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/robespierre-has-never-forgiven-his-friends-the-injuries-he-has-done/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [I have left my balls to Robespierre and my legs to Couthon. That should help the Committee of Public Safety for a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-danton/i-have-left-my-balls-to-robespierre-and-my-legs-to-couthon-that/) [Georges Danton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-danton/) ## More by Edward Bates > [I long for the days of good honest crooks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bates/i-long-for-the-days-of-good-honest-crooks/) Edward Bates > [Ambition is a passion, at once strong and insidious, and is very apt to cheat a man out of his happiness and his true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bates/ambition-is-a-passion-at-once-strong-and-insidious-and-is-very-apt-to/) Edward Bates Explore all 3 Edward Bates quotes ## More French revolution quotes > [My principles are only those that, before the French Revolution, every well-born person considered sane and normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-evola/my-principles-are-only-those-that-before-the-french-revolution-every/) [Julius Evola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-evola/) > [The French Revolution gave us three... powerful ideas, or concepts - liberty, equality and fraternity. But these ideas... are not only right in themselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-barenboim/the-french-revolution-gave-us-three-powerful-ideas-or-concepts/) [Daniel Barenboim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-barenboim/) > [“Your mother, my mother, and mother of pearl walk into a bar, and the bartender says, “Hello, dad, you look more like whiskey than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/your-mother-my-mother-and-mother-of-pearl-walk-into-a-bar-and-the/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“The nobility above all could not understand how it could possibly regenerate itself in assemblies where no provision had been made for a supply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-siey-s/the-nobility-above-all-could-not-understand-how-it-could-possibly/) Emmanuel Sieyés > [“Revolutionists who took part in uprisings in one part of the globe would often migrate to take part in uprisings in another. Francisco de…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/revolutionists-who-took-part-in-uprisings-in-one-part-of-the-globe/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [“The French Revolution, which is nothing more nor less than the ideal armed with the sword, rose abruptly, and by that very movement, closed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-french-revolution-which-is-nothing-more-nor-less-than-the-ideal/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [There were two, three or four French Revolutions. Like a multi-stage rocket today, the Revolution involved several successive explosions and propellant thrusts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernand-braudel/there-were-two-three-or-four-french-revolutions-like-a-multi-stage/) [Fernand Braudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernand-braudel/) > [“Doing nothing is the hardest torture that a person can put himself through. For he is always brought face to face with his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iwan-goll/doing-nothing-is-the-hardest-torture-that-a-person-can-put-himself/) [Iwan Goll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iwan-goll/) > [ It \[August 10th 1792\] was the bloodiest day of the Revolution so far, but also one of the most decisive. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-doyle/it-august-10th-1792-was-the-bloodiest-day-of-the-revolution-so-far/) William Doyle > [“They are subjected to all manner of taxes: the tithe, the hearth tax and the capitation tax. When all those are paid, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-scarrow/they-are-subjected-to-all-manner-of-taxes-the-tithe-the-hearth-tax/) [Simon Scarrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-scarrow/) > [“Grace deeply identified with Mead’s view that ideas evolve historically. “Unlike the average American teacher of philosophy of his day,” she wrote, Mead “urged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-m-ward/grace-deeply-identified-with-mead-s-view-that-ideas-evolve/) [Stephen M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-m-ward/) > [Unlike the rationalism of the French Revolution, true liberalism has no quarrel with religion, and I can only deplore the militant and essentially illiberal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/unlike-the-rationalism-of-the-french-revolution-true-liberalism-has/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [“The historical periods I like to learn about aren’t so much costume dramas as slasher flicks. The French Revolution is a favorite because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/the-historical-periods-i-like-to-learn-about-aren-t-so-much-costume/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [“You are a monster of selfishness and greed, bearing no loyalty to anyone but yourself, and you prance across the stage and preen as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-messina/you-are-a-monster-of-selfishness-and-greed-bearing-no-loyalty-to/) [Lynn Messina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-messina/) > [“It’s a question of legacy. Who else will do this work but us? The men who rarely include them in retrospectives? The visitors who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-dupal/it-s-a-question-of-legacy-who-else-will-do-this-work-but-us-the-men/) Stephanie Dupal [Browse all 316 French revolution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/french-revolution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“ [Mr. Bates comments on the description of Robespierre in History of the French Revolution by M. J. L. Adolphe Thiers] He was a living proof that[,] in civil troubles, obstinate mediocrity is more powerful than the irregularity of genius. It is not only in civil troubles but in all the affairs of life, that obstinate mediocrity triumphs over irregular genius, and enjoys the fruits of victory. The Diary of Edward Bates, Entry for March 7, 1865, Edited by Howard K. 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