On the Study and Use of History, letter 5 (1752); compare Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, book xi. chap. ii.; Horace Walpole, Advertisement to Letter to Sir Horace Mann; Thomas Babington Macaulay, History of England, vol. i. chap. i.
“
They (Thucydides and Xenophon) maintained the dignity of history.
— Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "They (Thucydides and Xenophon) maintained the dignity of history." in the context of "On the Study and Use of History, letter 5 (1752); compare Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, book xi. chap. ii.; Horace Walpole, Advertisement to Letter to Sir Horace Mann; Thomas Babington Macaulay, History of England, vol. i. chap. i." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke" (Quotes)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke (September 16, 1678 – December 12, 1751) was an English statesman and philosopher.
About Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke (September 16, 1678 – December 12, 1751) was an English statesman and philosopher.
View all quotes →