William Winwood Reade: Mankind

William Winwood Reade was British historian. Explore interesting quotes on mankind.
William Winwood Reade: 64 quotes3 likes

“The first rational exposition of the relations of mankind to the mystery which shrouds the how and wherefore of man’s existence.”

William Winwood Reade

Sir Harry Johnston Liberia (1906), vol. 1, p. 257.
Criticism of The Martyrdom of Man

“As for the system of the Commune, which makes it impossible for a man to rise or fall, it is merely the old caste system revived; if it could be put into force, all industry would be disheartened, emulation would cease, and mankind would go to sleep.”

William Winwood Reade

Source: The Martyrdom of Man (1872), Chapter IV, "Intellect", p. 408.

“And then, the Earth being small, mankind will migrate into space, and will cross the airless Saharas which separate planet from planet and sun from sun. The Earth will become a Holy Land which will be visited by pilgrims from all the quarters of the Universe. Finally, men will master the forces of Nature; they will become themselves architects of systems, manufacturers of worlds.”

William Winwood Reade

Source: The Martyrdom of Man (1872), Chapter IV, "Intellect"

“A religion so cheerless, a philosophy so sorrowful, could never have succeeded with the masses of mankind if presented only as a system of metaphysics. Buddhism owed its success to its catholic spirit and its beautiful morality.”

William Winwood Reade

Source: The Martyrdom of Man (1872), Chapter IV, "Intellect", p. 385.

“In Europe itself it is not probable that war will ever absolutely cease until science discovers some destroying force so simple in its administration, so horrible in its effects, that all art, all gallantry, will be at an end, and battles will be massacres which the feelings of mankind will be unable to endure.”

William Winwood Reade

Source: The Martyrdom of Man (1872), Chapter IV, "Intellect", pp. 405-6.

“If Christianity were true religious persecution would become a pious and charitable duty: if God designs to punish men for their opinions it would be an act of mercy to mankind to extinguish such opinions. By burning the bodies of those who diffuse them many souls would be saved that would otherwise be lost, and so there would be an economy of torment in the long run. It is therefore not surprising that enthusiasts should be intolerant.”

William Winwood Reade

Source: The Martyrdom of Man (1872), Chapter II, "Religion", p. 178.