Quotes from Benjamin Disraeli

I cannot pay attention unless I am attracted.

Art was to the ancient world, Science is to the modern: the distinctive faculty. In the minds of men the useful has succeeded to the beautiful.

The Lord deals with the nations as the nations deal with the Jews.

Next to knowing when to seize an opportunity, the most important thing in life is to know when to forego an advantage.

Other men condemned to exile and captivity, if they survive, despair; the man of letters may reckon those days as the sweetest of his life

Predominant opinions are generally the opinions of the generation that is vanishing.

A vida é muito curta para ser pequena

Non chiedere mai scusa quando esterni un sentimento. Nel momento in cui lo fai, chiedi scusa per la verità.

Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for truth.

The messenger from the Republics of the West now prostrated himself before the Statue. He informed it that two parties had, unfortunately, broken out in these countries, and threatened their speedy dissolution; that one party maintained that all human government originated in the wants of man; while the other party asserted that it originated in the desires of man. That these factions had become so violent and so universal that public business was altogether stopped

An English revolution is at least a solemn sacrifice: a French revolution is an indecent massacre.

If you wish to win a man"s heart, allow him to confute you.

Personal distinction is the only passport to the society of the great. Whether this distinction arise from fortune, family, or talent, is immaterial; but certain it is, to enter into high society, a man must either have blood, a million, or a genius.

So you see, my dear Coningsby, that the world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes.

Nothing resists a human will that stakes its very existence upon the achievement of its purpose

The East is a career.

The world is a wheel, and it will all come round right.

Talk to people about themselves and they will listen for hours

The history of Heroes is the history of Youth.

It is a holy thing to see a state saved by its youth.

What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expected generally happens

And then they say one is misanthropical. Hang it! who can help being misanthropical when he finds everybody getting on in life except himself?

Yes," said Lady St Julians. "I think those men who breakfast out or who give breakfasts are generally dangerous characters; at least, I would not trust them.

In great cities men are brought together by the desire of gain. They are not in a state of cooperation, but of isolation, as to the making of fortunes; and for all the rest they are careless of neighbors. Christianity teaches us to love our neighbour as ourself; modern society acknowledges no neighbour.