A severe though not unfriendly critic of our institutions said…

A severe though not unfriendly critic of our institutions said that the cure for admiring the House of Lords was to go and look at it.

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Other Walter Bagehot Quotes

I wish the art of benefiting men had kept pace with the art of destroying them; for though war has become slow, philanthropy has remained hasty. The most melancholy of human reflections, perhaps, is that, on the whole, it is a question whether the, benevolence of mankind does most good or harm. Great good, no doubt, philanthropy does, but then it also does great evil. It augments so much vice, it multiplies so much suffering, it brings to life such great populations to suffer and to be vicious, that it is open to argument whether it be or be not an evil to the world, and this is entirely because excellent people fancy that they can do much by rapid action — that they will most benefit the world when they most relieve their own feelings; that as soon as an evil is seen “something” ought to be done to stay and prevent it. - View Quote Details on I wish the art of benefiting men had kept pace…
A Parliament is nothing less than a big meeting of more or less idle people. - View Quote Details on A Parliament is nothing less than a big meeting of…
Credit means that a certain confidence is given, and a certain trust reposed. Is that trust justified? and is that confidence wise? These are the cardinal questions. To put it more simply credit is a set of promises to pay; will those promises be kept? - View Quote Details on Credit means that a certain confidence is given, and a…
But the mass of the old electors did not analyse very much: they liked to have one of their “betters” to represent them; if he was rich they respected him much; and if he was a lord, they liked him the better. The issue put before these electors was, which of two rich people will you choose? And each of those rich people was put forward by great parties whose notions were the notions of the rich — whose plans were their plans. The electors only selected one or two wealthy men to carry out the schemes of one or two wealthy associations. - View Quote Details on But the mass of the old electors did not analyse…
The reason why so few good books are written is, that so few people that can write know anything. In general an author has always lived in a room, has read books, has cultivated science, is acquainted with the style and sentiments of the best authors, but he is out of the way of employing his own eyes and ears. He has nothing to hear and nothing to see. His life is a vacuum. - View Quote Details on The reason why so few good books are written is,…
[Of Guizot] A Puritan born in France by mistake. - View Quote Details on [Of Guizot] A Puritan born in France by mistake.
An ambassador is not simply an agent; he is also a spectacle. - View Quote Details on An ambassador is not simply an agent; he is also…
Woman absent is woman dead. - View Quote Details on Woman absent is woman dead.
The being without an opinion is so painful to human nature that most people will leap to a hasty opinion rather than undergo it. - View Quote Details on The being without an opinion is so painful to human…
I started out by believing God for a newer car than the one I was driving. I started out believing God for a nicer apartment than I had. Then I moved up. - View Quote Details on I started out by believing God for a newer car…