Accidents Quote by Edward Gibbon
“History, in fact, is no more than a list of the crimes of humanity, human follies and accidents”
About This Quote
Source Book: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1776
History is essentially a record of humanity’s crimes, follies, and accidents.
In simple terms: History lists crimes, follies, accidents.
Key Takeaway
Learn from past mistakes.
Themes
history
human nature
morality
error
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
historical
analytical
When to use this quote
- policy analysis
- education
- public discourse
- risk assessment
Key Concepts
political theory
ethics
cyclical patterns
Questions to Reflect On
- What lessons can modern societies draw?
- How do we balance acknowledging errors with celebrating achievements?
A Different Perspective
Not all history is negative; progress also occurs.
![“[Vestiges begins] from principles which are at variance with all sober inductive truth. The sober facts of geology shuffled, so as to play a rogue's game; phrenology (that sinkhole of human folly and prating coxcombry); spontaneous generation; transmutation of species; and I know not what; all to…” quote by Adam Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/76d/adam-sedgwick-38188_breeding_vestiges-begins-from-principles-which-ar_743932.jpg)
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
![“[In] the national and religious conflict of the [Byzantine and Saracen] empires, peace was without confidence, and war without mercy.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/338/edward-gibbon-710_byzantine_in-the-national-and-religious-conflict-o_29382.jpg)
![“[Every] hour of delay abates the fame and force of the invader, and multiplies the resources of defensive war.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4de/edward-gibbon-710_delay_every-hour-of-delay-abates-the-fame-and_94668.jpg)
