The history of the English Constitution, as far as the world cares for it, is, in fact, the complex history of the popular element in this ancient polity, which was sometimes weaker and sometimes stronger, but which has never died out, has commonly possessed great though varying power, and is now entirely predominant.
Bagehot emphasizes the significance of the popular element in the history of the English Constitution.
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He could have found the truth as a statesman just as he found it when a judge; but he never did find it.
He had seen that LEISURE is the great need of early societies, and slaves only can give men leisure.
We have thus a whole group of ancient republics of non-Aryan race, and one which, being more ancient than the classical republics, could not have borrowed from or imitated them.
The power of free interchange of ideas being wanting, the ideas themselves were barren.
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