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. – Walter Bagehot
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. – Walter Bagehot
The Sovereign has, under a constitutional monarchy such as ours, three rights — the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, the right to warn. And a king of great sense and sagacity would want no others. – 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
Royalty is a government in which the attention of the nation is concentrated on one person doing interesting actions. – Walter Bagehot
History is strewn with the wrecks of nations which have gained a little progressiveness at the cost of a great deal of hard manliness, and have thus prepared themselves for destruction as soon as the movements of the world gave a chance for it. – Walter Bagehot
An element of exaggeration clings to the popular judgment: great vices are made greater, great virtues greater also; interesting incidents are made more interesting, softer legends more soft. – Walter Bagehot
We must not let daylight in upon the magic. – Walter Bagehot
Public opinion is a permeating influence, and it exacts obedience to itself; it requires us to drink other mens thoughts, to speak other mens words, to follow other mens habits. – Walter Bagehot
What impresses men is not mind, but the result of mind. – Walter Bagehot
An ambassador is not simply an agent; he is also a spectacle. – 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
Men who do not make advances to women are apt to become victims to women who make advances to them. – Walter Bagehot
Conquest is the missionary of valor, and the hard impact of military virtues beats meanness out of the world. – Walter Bagehot
A schoolmaster should have an atmosphere of awe, and walk wonderingly, as if he was amazed at being himself. – Walter Bagehot
Under a Presidential government, a nation has, except at the electing moment, no influence; it has not the ballot-box before it; its virtue is gone, and it must wait till its instant of despotism again returns. – Walter Bagehot
A constitutional statesman is in general a man of common opinions and uncommon abilities. – Walter Bagehot
When great questions end, little parties begin. – Walter Bagehot
The cure for admiring the house of lords is to go and look at it. – Walter Bagehot
It is often said that men are ruled by their imaginations; but it would be truer to say they are governed by the weakness of their imaginations. – Walter Bagehot
