Walter Bagehot: “The first ascent of civilisation was at a steep gradient, though when now we look down upon it, it seems almost nothing.”

The moderate people of every party must combine to support the Government which, on the whole, suits every party best.

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.

They say, We reject your Bill for this once or these twice, or even these thrice: but if you keep on sending it up, at last we won't reject it.

One of the greatest pains to human nature is the pain of a new idea.