Goldwin Smith Quotes

The materials of the novelist must be real; they must be gathered from the field of humanity by his actual observation.

- Goldwin Smith

The novelist must look on humanity without partiality or prejudice. His sympathy, like that of the historian, must be unbounded, and untainted by sect or party.

- Goldwin Smith

The natural barriers between England and Scotland were not sufficient to prevent the extension of the Saxon settlements and kingdoms across the border.

- Goldwin Smith

I heard Thackeray thank Heaven for the purity of Dickens. I thanked Heaven for the purity of a greater than Dickens - Thackeray himself.

- Goldwin Smith

The insular arrogance of the English character is a commonplace joke.

- Goldwin Smith

Dante himself is open to the suspicion of partiality: it is said, not without apparent ground, that he puts into hell all the enemies of the political cause, which, in his eyes, was that of Italy and God.

- Goldwin Smith

We must also be permitted to bear in mind that evolution, though it may explain everything else, cannot explain itself.

- Goldwin Smith

There are the manufacturing multitudes of England; they must have work, and find markets for their work; if machines and the Black Country are ugly, famine would be uglier still.

- Goldwin Smith

America is supposed to be given over to ugliness. There are a good many ugly things there and the ugliest are the most pretentious.

- Goldwin Smith

The Roman legions were formed in the first instance of citizen soldiers, who yet had been made to submit to a rigid discipline, and to feel that in that submission lay their strength.

- Goldwin Smith

But if anyone supposes that there was no commercial fraud in the Middle Ages, let him study the commercial legislation of England for that period, and his mind will be satisfied, if he has a mind to be satisfied and not only a fancy to run away with him.

- Goldwin Smith

Who can doubt that between the English and the French, between the Scotch and the Irish, there are differences of character which have profoundly affected and still affect the course of history?

- Goldwin Smith

It is evident that in the period designated as that of the kings, when Rome commenced her career of conquest, she was, for that time and country, a great and wealthy city.

- Goldwin Smith

Yet for my part, deeply as I am moved by the religious architecture of the Middle Ages, I cannot honestly say that I ever felt the slightest emotion in any modern Gothic church.

- Goldwin Smith

It is needless to say how great has been the influence of the doctrine of Evolution, or rather perhaps of the method of investigation to which it has given birth, upon the study of history, especially the history of institutions.

- Goldwin Smith

Every one who has a heart, however ignorant of architecture he may be, feels the transcendent beauty and poetry of the mediaeval churches.

- Goldwin Smith

Personality is lower than partiality.

- Goldwin Smith

The novelist must ground his work in faithful study of human nature.

- Goldwin Smith

There is a spell in mediaeval Art which has had power to bewitch some people into trying, or wishing to try, or fancying that they wish to try or making believe to fancy that they wish to try, to bring back the Middle Ages.

- Goldwin Smith

If it were a real effort to live in the Middle Ages, your life would be one perpetual prevarication.

- Goldwin Smith

No student of history can fail to see the moral interest of the Middle Ages, any more than an artist can fail to see their aesthetic interest.

- Goldwin Smith

As to London we must console ourselves with the thought that if life outside is less poetic than it was in the days of old, inwardly its poetry is much deeper.

- Goldwin Smith

Never had there been such an attempt to make conquest the servant of civilization. About keeping India there is no question. England has a real duty there.

- Goldwin Smith

Whatever things may have been in their origin, they are what they are, both in themselves and in regard to their indications respecting other beings or influences the existence of which may be implied in theirs.

- Goldwin Smith

Rome was great in arms, in government, in law.

- Goldwin Smith

Above all nations is humanity.

- Goldwin Smith

The Romans, we are told, were by nature a peculiarly warlike race.

- Goldwin Smith

That Rome was comparatively great and wealthy is certain.

- Goldwin Smith

Art is expression, and to have high expression you must have something high to express.

- Goldwin Smith