When you find that a book is poor ... waste no more time upon it. James Bryce More Quotes by James Bryce More Quotes From James Bryce The ordinary American voter does not object to mediocrity. He likes his candidate to be sensible, vigorous, and, above all, what he calls 'magnetic,' and does not value, because he sees no need for, originality or profundity, a fine culture or a wide knowledge. James Bryce mediocritycultureneeds The People, though we think of a great entity when we use the word, means nothing more than so many millions of individual men. James Bryce menmeanthinking Perhaps the most typically American place in America. James Bryce chicagocitiesamerica If you have enough room for your books, you don't have enough books. James Bryce enoughbookrooms There is in the American Government...a want of unity.... The Sailors, the helmsman, the engineer, do not seem to have one purpose or obey one will so that instead of making steady way the vessel may pursue a devious or zigzag course, and sometimes merely turn round and round in the water. James Bryce unitygovernmentwater Life is too short to read inferior books. James Bryce inferiorslife-is-too-shortbook An eminent American is reported to have said to friends who wished to put him forward, 'Gentlemen, let there be no mistake. I should make a good president, but a very bad candidate. James Bryce gentlemanpresidentmistake Of all the differences between the Old World and the New, this is perhaps the most salient. Half the wars of Europe, half the internal troubles that have vexed European States... have arisen from theological differences or from the rival claims of Church and State. This whole vast chapter of debate and strife has remained virtually unopened in the United States. There is no Established Church. All religious bodies are equal before the law, and unrecognized by the law, except as voluntary associations of private citizens. James Bryce religiouseuropewar It is accepted as an axiom by all Americans that the civil power ought to be not only neutral and impartial as between different forms of faith, but ought to leave these matters entirely on one side, regarding them no more than it regards the artistic or literary pursuits of the citizens. James Bryce atheismcitizensmatter The tendency everywhere in America to concentrate power and responsibility in one man is unmistakable. James Bryce responsibilitywisdommen Medicine, the only profession that labors incessantly to destroy the reason for its existence. James Bryce destroyexistencemedicinereason Three-fourths of the mistakes a man makes are made because he does not really know what he thinks he knows. James Bryce mistakesbecauseknowman
