The effect of boredom on a large scale in history is underestimated. It is a main cause of revolutions, and would soon bring to an end all the static Utopias and the farmyard civilization of the Fabians. William Ralph Inge More Quotes by William Ralph Inge More Quotes From William Ralph Inge Each generation takes a special pleasure in removing the household gods of its parents from their pedestals, and consigning them to the cupboard. William Ralph Inge pedestal parent special It is astonishing with how little wisdom mankind can be governed, when that little wisdom is its own. William Ralph Inge mankind wisdom littles We must cut our coat according to our cloth, and adapt ourselves to changing circumstances. William Ralph Inge coats clothes cutting The object of studying philosophy is to know one's own mind, not other peoples. William Ralph Inge mind philosophy history All faith consists essentially in the recognition of a world of spiritual values behind, yet not apart from, the world of natural phenomena. William Ralph Inge recognition spiritual world Let us remember, when we are inclined to be disheartened, that the private soldier is a poor judge of the fortunes of a great battle. William Ralph Inge battle soldier judging For better or worse, man is the tool-using animal, and as such he has become the lord of creation. When he is lord also of himself, he will deserve his self-chosen title homo sapiens. William Ralph Inge self animal men The whole of creation, with all of its laws, is a revelation of God. William Ralph Inge creation god law Every institution not only carries within it the seeds of its own dissolution, but prepares the way for its most hated rival. William Ralph Inge rivals institutions way The church is only a secular institution in which the half-educated speak to the half-converted. William Ralph Inge church speak half Even the paradise of fools is not an unpleasant abode while it is inhabitable. William Ralph Inge paradise fool heaven Man will never be entirely willing to give up this world for the next nor the next world for this. William Ralph Inge giving-up men world Civilization is a disease which is almost invariably fatal. William Ralph Inge disease civilization It is becoming impossible for those who mix at all with their fellow-men to believe that the grace of God is distributed denominationally. William Ralph Inge grace men believe I have no fear that the candle lighted in Palestine years ago will ever be put out. William Ralph Inge palestine no-fear years Nobody is bored when he is trying to make something that is beautiful or to discover something that is true. William Ralph Inge truth beautiful beauty But the instinct of hoarding, like all other instincts, tends to become hypertrophied and perverted; and with the institution of private property comes another institution-that of plunder and brigandage. In private life, no motive of action is at present so powerful and so persistent as acquisitiveness, which unlike most other desires, knows no satiety. The average man is rich enough when he has a little more than he has got, and not till then. William Ralph Inge powerful average men There is no limit to the noble aspirations which the words "my country" may evoke. William Ralph Inge noble military country There are no rewards or punishments - only consequences. William Ralph Inge consequence punishment rewards Public opinion, a vulgar, impertinent, anonymous tyrant who deliberately makes life unpleasant for anyone who is not content to the average person. William Ralph Inge public-opinion tyrants average