Poverty is an anomaly to rich people; it is very difficult to make out why people who want dinner do not ring the bell. Walter Bagehot More Quotes by Walter Bagehot More Quotes From Walter Bagehot One of the greatest pains to human nature is the pain of a new idea. It...makes you think that after all, your favorite notions may be wrong, your firmest beliefs ill-founded....Naturally, therefore, common men hate a new idea, and are disposed more or less to ill-treat the original man who brings it. Walter Bagehot pain hate men What we opprobriously call stupidity, though not an enlivening quality in common society, is nature's favorite resource for preserving steadiness of conduct and consistency of opinion. Walter Bagehot consistency quality stupidity Whenever two people meet, there are really six people present. There is each man as he sees The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do. Walter Bagehot men two people One cannot make men good by Act of Parliament. Walter Bagehot parliament men When great questions end, little parties begin. Walter Bagehot politics party littles No man has come so near our definition of a constitutional statesman - the powers of a first-rate man and the creed of a second-rate man. Walter Bagehot definitions men firsts It has been said that England invented the phrase, 'Her Majesty's Opposition'. Walter Bagehot majesty phrases england But of all nations in the world the English are perhaps the least a nation of pure philosophers. Walter Bagehot philosopher pure world It is good to be without vices, but it is not good to be without temptations. Walter Bagehot vices temptation religion A highly developed moral nature joined to an undeveloped intellectual nature, an undeveloped artistic nature, and a very limited religious nature, is of necessity repulsive. It represents a bit of human nature a good bit, of course, but a bit only in disproportionate, unnatural and revolting prominence. Walter Bagehot moral intellectual religious In early times every sort of advantage tends to become a military advantage; such is the best way, then, to keep it alive. But the Jewish advantage never did so; beginning in religion, contrary to a thousand analogies, it remained religious. Walter Bagehot analogies military religious A bureaucracy is sure to think that its duty is to augment official power, official business, or official members, rather than to leave free the energies of mankind; it overdoes the quantity of government, as well as impairs its quality. The truth is, that a skilled bureaucracy is, though it boasts of an appearance of science, quite inconsistent with the true principles of the art of business. Walter Bagehot government art thinking A princely marriage is the brilliant edition of a universal fact, and, as such, it rivets mankind. Walter Bagehot brilliant marriage facts Efficiency in an assembly requires a solid mass of steady votes; and these are collected by a deferential attachment to particular men, or by a belief in the principles that those men represent, and they are maintained by fear of those men - by the fear that if you vote against them, you may soon yourself have no vote at all. Walter Bagehot political principles men Conquest is the missionary of valor, and the hard impact of military virtues beats meanness out of the world. Walter Bagehot impact military war It has been said that England invented the phrase, 'Her Majesty's Opposition'; that it was the first government which made a criticism of administration as much a part of the polity as administration itself. This critical opposition is the consequence of cabinet government. Walter Bagehot phrases government criticism A constitutional statesman is in general a man of common opinions and uncommon abilities. Walter Bagehot opinion politics men A slight daily unconscious luxury is hardly ever wanting to the dwellers in civilization; like the gentle air of a genial climate, it is a perpetual minute enjoyment. Walter Bagehot luxury air civilization An element of exaggeration clings to the popular judgment: great vices are made greater, great virtues greater also; interesting incidents are made more interesting, softer legends more soft. Walter Bagehot exaggeration-is vices interesting The habit of common and continuous speech is a symptom of mental deficiency. It proceeds from not knowing what is going on in other people's minds. Walter Bagehot knowing mind people
