A martial nobility and stubborn commons, possessed of arms, tenacious of property, and collected into constitutional assemblies form the only balance capable of preserving a free constitution against the enterprise of an aspiring prince Edward Gibbon More Quotes by Edward Gibbon More Quotes From Edward Gibbon Greek is a musical and prolific language, that gives a soul to the objects of sense, and a body to the abstractions of philosophy. Edward Gibbon greek giving philosophy It is the first care of a reformer to prevent any future reformation. Edward Gibbon reformers care firsts We may therefore acquiesce in the pleasing conclusion, that every age of the world has increased, and still increases, the real wealth, the happiness, the knowledge, and perhaps the virtue, of the human race. Edward Gibbon real race age A false modesty is the meanest species of pride. Edward Gibbon species modesty pride According to the law of custom, and perhaps of reason, foreign travel completes the education of an English gentleman. Edward Gibbon gentleman law reason [Personal] industry must be faint and languid, which is not excited by the sense of personal interest. Edward Gibbon personal-interest excited interest [Every] hour of delay abates the fame and force of the invader, and multiplies the resources of defensive war. Edward Gibbon delay fame war [In] the national and religious conflict of the [Byzantine and Saracen] empires, peace was without confidence, and war without mercy. Edward Gibbon byzantine religious war [We should] suspend our belief of every tale that deviates from the laws of nature and the character of man. Edward Gibbon law character men It was no longer esteemed infamous for a Roman to survive his honor and independence. Edward Gibbon infamous independence honor Boethius might have been styled happy, if that precarious epithet could be safely applied before the last term of the life of man. Edward Gibbon lasts might men A bloody and complete victory has sometimes yielded no more than the possession of the field and the loss of ten thousand men has sometimes been sufficient to destroy, in a single day, the work of ages. Edward Gibbon victory loss men Majorian presents the welcome discovery of a great and heroic character, such as sometimes arise, in a degenerate age, to vindicate the honor of the human species. Edward Gibbon honor discovery character It is impossible to reduce, or, at least, to hold a distant country against the wishes and efforts of its inhabitants. Edward Gibbon effort wish country [The] emperor of the West, the feeble and dissolute Valentinian, [had] reached his thirty-fifth year without attaining the age of reason or courage. Edward Gibbon west age years If we contrast the rapid progress of this mischievous discovery [gunpowder] with the slow and laborious advances of reason, science, and the arts of peace, a philosopher, according to his temper, will laugh or weep at the folly of mankind. Edward Gibbon discovery laughing art The terror of the Roman arms added weight and dignity to the moderation of the emperors. They preserved the peace by a constant preparation for war. Edward Gibbon preparation weight war Language is the leading principle which unites or separates the tribes of mankind. Edward Gibbon tribes language principles [The] operation of the wisest laws is imperfect and precarious. They seldom inspire virtue, they cannot always restrain vice. Edward Gibbon vices law inspire I have somewhere heard or read the frank confession of a Benedictine abbot: "My vow of poverty has given me a hundred thousand crowns a year; my vow of obedience has raised me to the rank of a sovereign prince." - I forget the consequences of his vow of chastity. Edward Gibbon crowns poverty years
