“ A family on the throne is an interesting idea. It brings down the pride of sovereignty to the level of petty life. Walter Bagehot
“ Progress would not have been the rarity it is if the early food had not been the late poison. Walter Bagehot
“ Life is a compromise of what your ego wants to do, what experience tells you to do, and what your nerves let you do. 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. 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. Walter Bagehot
“ No real English gentleman, in his secret soul, was ever sorry for the death of a political economist. Walter Bagehot
“ Poverty is an anomaly to rich people: it is very difficult to make out why people who want dinner do not ring the bell. Walter Bagehot
“ We see but one aspect of our neighbor, as we see but one side of the moon; in either case there is also a dark half, which is unknown to us. We all come down to dinner, but each has a room to himself. Walter Bagehot
“ The best history is but like the art of Rembrandt it casts a vivid light on certain selected causes, on those which were best and greatest it leaves all the rest in shadow and unseen. Walter Bagehot
“ The reason why so few good books are written is that so few people who can write know anything. Walter Bagehot
“ Business is really more agreeable than pleasure it interests the whole mind . . . more deeply. But it does not look as if it did. Walter Bagehot
“ The whole history of civilization is strewn with creeds and institutions which were invaluable at first, and deadly afterwards. Walter Bagehot
