by Simon Black
Sovereign Man
On May 12, 1780, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail,
“I must study politics and war that my sons have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. . . in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry and porcelain.”
(… to which I would add, “so that their children can hide from the world in their safe spaces.”)
There may be no other quote that so succinctly surmises the rise and fall of empire.
In the early days, people had no illusions about the hard work and dedication required to create a civilization out of nothing.