“There are two things which cannot be attacked in front: ignorance and narrow-mindedness.”

— John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton

Context: There are two things which cannot be attacked in front: ignorance and narrow-mindedness. They can only be shaken by the simple development of the contrary qualities. They will not bear discussion.

Letter (23 January 1861), published in Lord Acton and his Circle (1906) by Abbot Francis Aidan Gasquet, Letter 74

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "There are two things which cannot be attacked in front: ignorance and narrow-mindedness." by John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton?

John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton photo

John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton112

British politician and historian 1834–1902

Related quotes

“There are two things which cannot be attacked in front: ignorance and narrow-mindedness. They can only be shaken by the simple development of the contrary qualities. They will not bear discussion.”

John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton (1834–1902) British politician and historian

Letter (23 January 1861), published in Lord Acton and his Circle (1906) by Abbot Francis Aidan Gasquet, Letter 74
1860s

“But, if the knowledge of the occult powers of nature opens the spiritual sight of man, enlarges his intellectual faculties, and leads him unerringly to a profounder veneration for the Creator, on the other hand ignorance, dogmatic narrow-mindedness, and a childish fear of looking to the bottom of things, invariably leads to fetish-worship and superstition.”

Helena Petrovna Blavatsky book Isis Unveiled

Source: Isis Unveiled (1877), Volume II, Chapter I

“To succeed as a pioneer you need two things: ignorance and purpose. Ignorance of just how tough the path ahead will be. And a driving purpose, which keeps you going nonetheless.”

Lewis Pugh (1969) Environmental campaigner, maritime lawyer and endurance swimmer

26 November 2014, Twitter
Speaking & Features

“The study of science, dissociated from that of philosophy and literature, narrows the mind and weakens the power to love and follow the noblest ideals: for the truths which science ignores and must ignore are precisely those which have the deepest bearing on life and conduct.”

John Lancaster Spalding (1840–1916) Catholic bishop

Source: Aphorisms and Reflections (1901), p. 241

“No one is ignorant that there are two avenues by which opinions are received into the soul, which are its two principal powers: the understanding and the will.”

Blaise Pascal (1623–1662) French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and Christian philosopher

The Art of Persuasion

“We all should rise, above the clouds of ignorance, narrowness, and selfishness.”

Booker T. Washington (1856–1915) African-American educator, author, orator, and advisor

Source: The Story of My Life and Work

“[T]elltale signs of authoritarianism… Attacks on the press. Probably even before that, attacks on Hispanics and African-Americans. Those two things really concerned me.”

Evan McMullin (1976) American political candidate

Regarding Donald J. Trump, as quoted in "Evan McMullin is trying to save democracy http://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/evan-mcmullins-quest-to-save-democracy?mbid=social_twitter (2 February 2017), by David Haglund, The New Yorker