Walter Bagehot: “But, upon the other hand, in quiet times statesmen have great power; when there is no fire lighted, they can settle what…”

These anomalies, in a hundred instances, mark the old boundaries of a constitutional struggle.

Just so the lines of our Constitution were framed in old eras of sparse population, few wants, and simple habits; and we adhere in seeming to their shape, though civilisation has come with its dangers, complications, and enjoyments.

Political philosophy is still more imperfect; it has been framed from observations taken upon regular specimens of politics and States; as to these its teaching is most valuable.

But it is natural also that persons used to analyse political institutions should look at these anomalies with a little tenderness and a little interest.