Walter Bagehot Quotes

We must not let daylight in upon the magic... view

By: Walter Bagehot

Writers like teeth are divided into incisors and grinders... view

By: Walter Bagehot

The whole history of civilization is strewn with creeds and institutions which were invaluable at first, and deadly afterwards... view

By: Walter Bagehot

Woman absent is woman dead... view

By: Walter Bagehot

What impresses men is not mind, but the result of mind... view

By: Walter Bagehot

You may talk of the tyranny of Nero and Tiberius.. view

By: Walter Bagehot

A schoolmaster should have an atmosphere of awe, and walk wonderingly, as if he was amazed at being himself... view

By: Walter Bagehot

In every particular state of the world, those nations which are strongest tend to prevail over the others.. view

By: Walter Bagehot

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... view

By: Walter Bagehot

A Parliament is nothing less than a big meeting of more or less idle people... view

By: Walter Bagehot

The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do... view

By: Walter Bagehot

Honor sinks where commerce long prevails... view

By: Walter Bagehot

The real essence of work is concentrated energy... view

By: Walter Bagehot

The reason that there are so few good books written is that so few people who write know anything... view

By: Walter Bagehot

The reason why so few good books are written is that so few people who can write know anything... view

By: Walter Bagehot

A constitutional statesman is in general a man of common opinions and uncommon abilities... view

By: Walter Bagehot

A family on the throne is an interesting idea. It brings down the pride of sovereignty to the level of petty life... view

By: Walter Bagehot

The cure for admiring the House of Lords is to go and look at it... view

By: Walter Bagehot

A man's mother is his misfortune, but his wife is his fault... view

By: Walter Bagehot

The greatest mistake is trying to be more agreeable than you can be... view

By: Walter Bagehot

A slight daily unconscious luxury is hardly ever wanting to the dwellers in civilization.. view

By: Walter Bagehot

All the best stories in the world are but one story in reality - the story of escape. It is the only thing which interests us all and at all times, how to escape... view

By: Walter Bagehot

An ambassador is not simply an agent.. view

By: Walter Bagehot

An element of exaggeration clings to the popular judgment: great vices are made greater, great virtues greater also.. view

By: Walter Bagehot

An inability to stay quiet is one of the conspicuous failings of mankind... view

By: Walter Bagehot

An influential member of parliament has not only to pay much money to become such, and to give time and labour, he has also to sacrifice his mind too - at least all the characteristics part of it that which is original and most his own... view

By: Walter Bagehot

Conquest is the missionary of valor, and the hard impact of military virtues beats meanness out of the world... view

By: Walter Bagehot

Dullness in matters of government is a good sign, and not a bad one - in particular, dullness in parliamentary government is a test of its excellence, an indication of its success... view

By: Walter Bagehot

A great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do... view

By: Walter Bagehot

Nothing is more unpleasant than a virtuous person with a mean mind... view

By: Walter Bagehot

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

By: Walter Bagehot

It is good to be without vices, but it is not good to be without temptations... view

By: Walter Bagehot

It is often said that men are ruled by their imaginations.. view

By: Walter Bagehot

Life is a school of probability... view

By: Walter Bagehot

Men who do not make advances to women are apt to become victims to women who make advances to them... view

By: Walter Bagehot

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... view

By: Walter Bagehot

No real English gentleman, in his secret soul, was ever sorry for the death of a political economist... view

By: Walter Bagehot

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... view

By: Walter Bagehot

One of the greatest pains to human nature is the pain of a new idea... view

By: Walter Bagehot

Poverty is an anomaly to rich people.. view

By: Walter Bagehot

Progress would not have been the rarity it is if the early food had not been the late poison... view

By: Walter Bagehot

Public opinion is a permeating influence, and it exacts obedience to itself.. view

By: Walter Bagehot