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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

So long as war is the main business of nations, temporary despotism - despotism during the campaign - is indispensable.