In solving, or trying to solve, the question, we must take notice of this remarkable difference, and explain it, too, or else we may be sure our principles are utterly incomplete, and perhaps altogether unsound.
Bagehot stresses the importance of recognizing differences in historical contexts to ensure sound principles in analysis.
Share
More from Walter Bagehot
The Parliament, the laws, the press were human institutions; but the Monarchy was a Divine institution.
If those persons be people of different temperaments, different ideas, and different educations, you have an almost infallible security that nothing, or almost nothing, will be done with excessive rapidity.
The power of free interchange of ideas being wanting, the ideas themselves were barren.
Perhaps such powers as these are what a wise man would most seek to exercise and least fear to possess.
Other voices in this conversation
