Walter Bagehot: “Great peers did not gain glory from the House; on the contrary, they…”

On the record

Great peers did not gain glory from the House; on the contrary, they lost glory when they were in the House.

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Walter Bagehot

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Bagehot argues that great peers lose prestige when participating in the House of Lords.

More from Walter Bagehot

And therefore party is inherent in it, is bone of its bone, and breath of its breath.

No doubt this momentary gain is bought at a ruinous after-cost.

But, above all things, they were frightened of 'the world;' the spectacle of nature filled them with awe and dread.

Perhaps such powers as these are what a wise man would most seek to exercise and least fear to possess.

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Walter Bagehot: “Great peers did not gain glory from the House; on the contrary, they lost glory when they were in the House.”