The whole history of civilization is strewn with creeds and institutions which were invaluable at first, and deadly afterwards Walter Bagehot More Quotes by Walter Bagehot More Quotes From Walter Bagehot Persecution in intellectual countries produces a superficial conformity, but also underneath an intense, incessant, implacable doubt. Walter Bagehot intellectualdoubtcountry A democratic despotism is like a theocracy: it assumes its own correctness. Walter Bagehot democracyfreedomgovernment We think of Euclid as of fine ice; we admire Newton as we admire the peak of Teneriffe. Even the intensest labors, the most remote triumphs of the abstract intellect, seem to carry us into a region different from our own-to be in a terra incognita of pure reasoning, to cast a chill on human glory. Walter Bagehot icesciencethinking Under a Presidential government, a nation has, except at the electing moment, no influence; it has not the ballot-box before it; its virtue is gone, and it must wait till its instant of despotism again returns. Walter Bagehot presidentialgovernmentwaiting The most intellectual of men are moved quite as much by the circumstances which they are used to as by their own will. The active voluntary part of a man is very small, and if it were not economized by a sleepy kind of habit, its results would be null. Walter Bagehot intellectualsleepmen No real English gentleman, in his secret soul, was ever sorry for the death of a political economist. Walter Bagehot politicalrealsorry All people are most credulous when they are most happy. Walter Bagehot people Our law very often reminds one of those outskirts of cities where you cannot for a long time tell how the streets come to wind about in so capricious and serpent-like a manner. At last it strikes you that they grew up, house by house, on the devious tracks of the old green lanes; and if you follow on to the existing fields, you may often find the change half complete. Walter Bagehot lawtimewind Life is not a set campaign, but an irregular work, and the main forces in it are not overt resolutions, but latent and half-involuntary promptings. Walter Bagehot campaignshalflife We must not let daylight in upon the magic. Walter Bagehot daylightmagic The purse strings tie us to our kind. Walter Bagehot pursestieskind 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? Walter Bagehot wisemeanpromise Great and terrible systems of divinity and philosophy lie round about us, which, if true, might drive a wise man mad. Walter Bagehot wisephilosophylying Royalty is a government in which the attention of the nation is concentrated on one person doing interesting actions. Walter Bagehot kings-and-queensgovernmentinteresting The best reason why Monarchy is a strong government is, that it is an intelligible government. The mass of mankind understand it, and they hardly anywhere in the world understand any other. Walter Bagehot politicalgovernmentstrong The best security for people's doing their duty is that they should not know anything else to do. Walter Bagehot dutyshouldpeople War both needs and generates certain virtues; not the highest, but what may be called the preliminary virtues, as valor, veracity, the spirit of obedience, the habit of discipline. Any of these, and of others like them, when possessed by a nation, and no matter how generated, will give them a military advantage, and make them more likely to stay in the race of nations. Walter Bagehot militaryracewar In the faculty of writing nonsense, stupidity is no match for genius. Walter Bagehot stupiditywritingbook The peculiar essence of our banking system is an unprecedented trust between man and man. And when that trust is much weakened by hidden causes, a small accident may greatly hurt it, and a great accident for a moment may almost destroy it. Walter Bagehot essencehurtmen The great pleasure of life is doing for pleasure things I do not like to do. Walter Bagehot pleasures-of-lifepleasurelife-is
