« William Gibson
Home Page
William Golding »

Quotes of the day: William Gladstone
(permalink)

Published Sunday, December 29, 2013 @ 5:43 AM EST
Dec 29 2013

(Today is also the birthday of comedienne Paula Poundstone.)

William Ewart Gladstone (December 29, 1809-May 19, 1898) was a British Liberal politician. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times (1868-1874, 1880-1885, February-July 1886 and 1892-1894), more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 when he resigned for the last time. He had also served as Chancellor of the Exchequer four times. (Click here for full Wikipedia article)

-----

All the world over, I will back the masses against the classes.

Be happy with what you have and are, be generous with both, and you won't have to hunt for happiness.

Failure is success if we learn from it.

Here is my first principle of foreign policy: good government at home.

How little do politics affect the life, the moral life of a nation. One single good book influences the people a vast deal more.

It is the duty of government to make it difficult for people to do wrong, easy to do right.

Justice delayed, is justice denied.

Liberalism is trust of the people tempered by prudence; conservativism is distrust of the people tempered by fear.

Men are apt to mistake the strength of their feeling for the strength of their argument. The heated mind resents the chill touch and relentless scrutiny of logic.

National injustice is the surest road to national downfall.

No man ever became great or good except through many and great mistakes.

Selfishness is the greatest curse of the human race.

Show me the manner in which a nation or a community cares for its dead. I will measure exactly the sympathies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land, and their loyalty to high ideals.

The American Constitution is, so far as I can see, the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.

The contemporary mind may in rare cases be taken by storm; but posterity never. The tribunal of the present is accessible to influence; that of the future is incorrupt.

The disease of an evil conscience is beyond the practice of all the physicians of all the countries in the world.

The free expression of opinion, as experience has taught us, is the safety-valve of passion. The noise of the rushing steam, when it escapes, alarms the timid; but it is the sign that we are safe.

To comprehend a man's life it is necessary to know not merely what he does, but also what he purposely leaves undone.

We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace.

What is morally wrong cannot be politically right.

You cannot fight against the future. Time is on our side.


Categories: Quotes of the day, William Gladstone


Home  

KGB Stuff   Commentwear   E-Mail KGB


Donate via PayPal


Older entries, Archives and Categories       Top of page

« William Gibson
Home Page
William Golding »