Henry Adams

Henry Adams

26 quotes

Known primarily as an American historian, Henry Adams also happens to be one of the most quotable figures in our collection. Henry Adams's observations on Politics are as sharp as their thoughts on Intelligence, revealing genuine breadth of mind. Discover 33 of Henry Adams's most memorable quotes, ranging across Politics, Intelligence, Science, History, and Friendship. Perhaps their most recognizable line: "Nothing in education is so astonishing as the amount of ignorance it accumulates in the form of inert facts."

“Knowledge of human nature is the beginning and end of political education.”

— Henry Adams

Education

All Quotes by Henry Adams

“American society is a sort of flat, fresh-water pond which absorbs silently, without reaction, anything which is thrown into it.”

— Henry Adams

Society

“Everyone carries his own inch rule of taste, and amuses himself by applying it, triumphantly, wherever he travels.”

— Henry Adams

Travel

“Some day science may have the existence of mankind in power, and the human race can commit suicide by blowing up the world.”

— Henry Adams

Power

“Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit.”

— Henry Adams

History

“The progress of evolution from President Washington to President Grant was alone evidence to upset Darwin.”

— Henry Adams

Alone

“He too serves a certain purpose who only stands and cheers.”

— Henry Adams

Politics

“All experience is an arch, to build upon.”

— Henry Adams

Experience

“Politics are a very unsatisfactory game.”

— Henry Adams

Politics

“There is no such thing as an underestimate of average intelligence.”

— Henry Adams

Intelligence

“One friend in a lifetime is much, two are many, three are hardly possible. Friendship needs a certain parallelism of life, a community of thought, a rivalry of aim.”

— Henry Adams

Friendship

“The Indian Summer of life should be a little sunny and a little sad, like the season, and infinite in wealth and depth of tone, but never hustled.”

— Henry Adams

Life

“I am an anarchist in politics and an impressionist in art as well as a symbolist in literature. Not that I understand what these terms mean, but I take them to be all merely synonyms of pessimist.”

— Henry Adams

Art

“Politics... have always been the systematic organization of hatreds.”

— Henry Adams

Politics

“It is impossible to underrate human intelligence - beginning with one's own.”

— Henry Adams

Intelligence

“I have written too much history to have faith in it and if anyone thinks I'm wrong, I am inclined to agree with him.”

— Henry Adams

Faith

“The press is the hired agent of a monied system, and set up for no other purpose than to tell lies where their interests are involved. One can trust nobody and nothing.”

— Henry Adams

Trust

“Chaos was the law of nature Order was the dream of man.”

— Henry Adams

Nature

“Politics, as a practise, whatever its professions, has always been the systematic organization of hatreds.”

— Henry Adams

Politics

“Practical politics consists in ignoring facts.”

— Henry Adams

Politics

“Knowledge of human nature is the beginning and end of political education.”

— Henry Adams

Education