For belligerent purposes, the 14th century, like the 20th, commanded a technology more sophisticated than the mental and moral capacity that guided its use.

To a historian libraries are food, shelter, and even muse. They are of two kinds: the library of published material, books, pamphlets, periodicals, and the archive of unpublished papers and documents.

Disaster is rarely as pervasive as it seems from recorded accounts. The fact of being on the record makes it appear continuous and ubiquitous whereas it is more likely to have been sporadic both in time and place.

An essential element for good writing is a good ear: One must listen to the sound of one's own prose.

To a historian libraries are food, shelter, and even muse.

The conduct of war was so much more interesting than its prevention.

The costliest myth of our time has been the myth of the Communist monolith.