American Quotations by William J. Federer 2024

Montesquieu (January 18, 1689-February 10, 1755) was a French political philosopher who greatly influenced nineteenth century thought. , Baron Charles Louis Joseph de Secondat Montesquieu wrote Persian Letters, 1721, which was a satirical reflection on France's sociopolitical institutions. In 1748, he wrote The Spirit of the Laws, introducing a revolutionary concept of government where the powers of a monarch were divided into judicial, legislative and executive bodies to guarantee individual freedoms. Donald S. Lutz of the University of Houston, with Charles S. Hyneman, in their article "The Relative Influence of European Writers on Late Eighteenth-Century American Political Thought," published in the...

Alexander Pope (May 21, 1688-May 30, 1744) was the greatest English poet and satirist of the early 1700's. Ranking with Shakespeare in influence, his works include: Ode to Solitude, 1700-09; An Essay on Criticism, 1711; The Rape of the Lock, 1712, 1714; Dunciad, 1728; An Essay on Man, 1733; The Universal Prayer, 1738; Imitations of Horace, 1733; and The Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot, 1735. In An Essay of Criticism, 1711, Alexander Pope wrote: <To err is human, to forgive divine.> 1688AP001 In An Essay of Criticism, 1711, Alexander Pope wrote: <Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.> 1688AP002 In Of...

Commission of Sir Edmund Andros (April 7, 1688) for the Dominion of New England: <We do hereby give and grant unto you the said Sir Edmund Andros...full power...to levy arm muster command...all persons...within our said Territory...of New England, and, as occasion shall serve, them to transfers from one place to another for the resisting and withstanding all enemies pirates and rebels, both at land and sea, and to transfers such forces to any of our Plantations in America...for the defense of the same against the invasion or attempt of any of our enemies, and then, if occasion shall require to pursue...

Virginia Governor Francis Howard (1686) of Effingham and William Fitzhugh attempted to persuade French refugee Durand de Dauphine to lead Protestant Huguenots to Virginia, as Durand de Dauphine noted: <I would have to settle further back & be among the savages, who, he added, are not greatly to be feared, but there is some inconvenience owing to the fact that only small boats can sail up the rivers in the back country so one could not trade by water. For this reason, as there are vast tracts of land for sale very cheap, very good & among Christians, he advised me...

Johann Sebastian Bach (March 21, 1685-July 28, 1750) was a German composer, considered the "master of masters," combining the polyphonic tradition of Baroque music with harmonic innovations. He held positions at the court of the Duke of Weimar, the court of Prince Leopold of Kothen, and directed music at St. Thomas's School at Leipzig. The majority of his choral works are of religious inspiration, as seen in his over 200 cantatas, including Passion According to St. Matthew Passion, Passion According to St. John Passion, B Minor Mass and Christmas Oratorio. His great organ and keyboard works include The Well-Tempered Clavier and...