The casual line was traced according to the strength of deceased combatants; succeeding generations fought elsewhere; and the hesitating line of a half-drawn battle was left to stand for a perpetual limit.
Bagehot describes how historical struggles have shaped the boundaries of constitutional governance.
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The progress of the military art is the most conspicuous, I was about to say the most SHOWY, fact in human history.
That a House of Commons may work well it must perform, as we saw, five functions well: it must elect a Ministry well, legislate well, teach the nation well, express the nation's will well, bring matters to the nation's attention well.
But as soon as the House met, Lord Thurlow became the greatest.
No doubt this momentary gain is bought at a ruinous after-cost.
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