Quotes from Walter Bagehot

Civilized ages inherit the human nature which was victorious in barbarous ages, and that nature is, in many respects, not at all suited to civilized circumstances.

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

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

In every particular state of the world, those nations which are strongest tend to prevail over the others; and in certain marked peculiarities the strongest tend to be the best.

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.

Adventure is the life of commerce, but caution is the life of banking.

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

The great pleasure of life is doing for pleasure things I do not like to do.

Woman absent is woman dead.

Whenever two people meet, there are really six people present. There is each man as he sees The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.

Throughout the greater part of his life George III was a kind of 'consecrated obstruction'.

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

Most men of business think "Anyhow this system will probably last my time. It has gone on a long time, and is likely to go on still.

Writers like teeth are divided into incisors and grinders.

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

Business is really more agreeable than pleasure; it interests the whole mind . . . more deeply. But it does not look as if it did.

The real essence of work is concentrated energy.

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.

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

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

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

Poverty is an anomaly to rich people: it is very difficult to make out why people who want dinner do not ring the bell.

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

You may talk of the tyranny of Nero and Tiberius; but the real tyranny is the tyranny of your next-door neighbor.