Like most of those who study history, he (Napoleon III) learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones.

There is nothing nicer than nodding off while reading. Going fast asleep and then being woken by the crash of the book on the floor, then saying to yourself, well it doesn't matter much. An admirable feeling.

History is not a catalogue but...a convincing version of events.

Bismarck fought 'necessary' wars and killed thousands, the idealists of the twentieth century fight 'just' wars and kill millions.

History is the great propagator of doubt.

We learn nothing from history except the infinite variety of men's behaviour.

History gets thicker as it approaches recent times: more people, more events, and more books written about them. More evidence is preserved, often, one is tempted to say, too much. Decay and destruction have hardly begun their beneficent work.