On the record
So strong are the combative propensities of man that he would rather fight a losing battle than not fight at all.
Said by
Walter Bagehot
Source
gutenberg.orgWalter Bagehot: “So strong are the combative propensities of man that he would rather fight a losing battle than not fight at all.”
Editor's note · Context
Bagehot reflects on the inherent combative nature of humanity, suggesting a preference for struggle over inaction.
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The United States could not have become monarchical, even if the Constitutional Convention had decreed it, even if the component States had ratified it.
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Those who doubt should go out into their kitchens.
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