Who said “You can never plan the future by the past.”?

Verified

Edmund Burke. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceLetter to a Member of the National Assembly (1791), Volume IV, p. 55.

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Letter to a Member of the National Assembly (1791), Volume IV, p. 55..

APA

Burke, E. (n.d.). You can never plan the future by the past. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/30958-you-can-never-plan-the-future-by-the/

MLA

Burke, Edmund. “You can never plan the future by the past.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/30958-you-can-never-plan-the-future-by-the/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Burke, Edmund. “You can never plan the future by the past.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/30958-you-can-never-plan-the-future-by-the/.

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