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Edward Gibbon

16 quotes

What we know about Edward Gibbon comes primarily from their words — and those words are worth your time. Edward Gibbon's observations on Power are as sharp as their thoughts on History, revealing genuine breadth of mind. Our collection holds 19 quotes from Edward Gibbon, each offering a different angle on Power, History, Work, Teacher, and Sympathy. One quote that captures their voice: "Their poverty secured their freedom, since our desires and our possessions are the strongest fetters of despotism."

“I understand by this passion the union of desire, friendship, and tenderness, which is inflamed by a single female, which prefers her to the rest of her sex, and which seeks her possession as the supreme or the sole happiness of our being.”

— Edward Gibbon

Friendship

All Quotes by Edward Gibbon

“The courage of a soldier is found to be the cheapest and most common quality of human nature.”

— Edward Gibbon

Courage

“Hope, the best comfort of our imperfect condition.”

— Edward Gibbon

Hope

“Unprovided with original learning, unformed in the habits of thinking, unskilled in the arts of composition, I resolved to write a book.”

— Edward Gibbon

Learning

“Our work is the presentation of our capabilities.”

— Edward Gibbon

Business

“The principles of a free constitution are irrecoverably lost, when the legislative power is nominated by the executive.”

— Edward Gibbon

Power

“History is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.”

— Edward Gibbon

History

“Our sympathy is cold to the relation of distant misery.”

— Edward Gibbon

Sympathy

“I never make the mistake of arguing with people for whose opinions I have no respect.”

— Edward Gibbon

Respect

“Their poverty secured their freedom, since our desires and our possessions are the strongest fetters of despotism.”

— Edward Gibbon

Freedom

“I understand by this passion the union of desire, friendship, and tenderness, which is inflamed by a single female, which prefers her to the rest of her sex, and which seeks her possession as the supreme or the sole happiness of our being.”

— Edward Gibbon

Friendship

“Every man who rises above the common level has received two educations: the first from his teachers the second, more personal and important, from himself.”

— Edward Gibbon

Teacher

“But the power of instruction is seldom of much efficacy, except in those happy dispositions where it is almost superfluous.”

— Edward Gibbon

Power

“I was never less alone than when by myself.”

— Edward Gibbon

Alone

“Beauty is an outward gift which is seldom despised, except by those to whom it has been refused.”

— Edward Gibbon

Beauty

“History is little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.”

— Edward Gibbon

History

“Of the various forms of government which have prevailed in the world, an hereditary monarchy seems to present the fairest scope for ridicule.”

— Edward Gibbon

Government