Posterity always degenerates till it becomes our ancestors.
--
As quoted in "The Works of Horace Walpole, Earl of Orford" in The Monthly Review, or, Literary Journal, Vol. 27 (1798) edited by Ralph Griffiths, p. 187.Horace Walpole
» Horace Walpole - all quotes »
Ancestors do not mean so much. The rebel who succeeds generally makes it easier for the posterity that follows him; so these descendants are usually contented and smug and soft. Rebels are made from life, not ancestors.
Clarence Darrow
People will not look forward to posterity, who never look backward to their ancestors.
Edmund Burke
We owe it to our ancestors to preserve entire those rights, which they have delivered to our care: we owe it to our posterity, not to suffer their dearest inheritance to be destroyed.
Junius
There is a similar quote by Edmund Burke "People will not look forward to posterity, who never look backward to their ancestors.", but the relationship between them is unclear.
George Santayana
Sir, very few people reach posterity. Who amongst us may arrive at that destination I presume not to vaticinate. Posterity is a most limited assembly. Those gentlemen who reach posterity are not much more numerous than the planets.
Benjamin Disraeli
Walpole, Horace
Walpole, Hugh
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z