Walter Bagehot: “The division weakens the whole aggregate force of Government--the entire imperial power; and therefore it weakens both…”

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 the Jewish advantage never did so; beginning in religion, contrary to a thousand analogies, it remained religious.

The nation then selected the English policy, but the Crown chose the English Ministers.

No doubt this momentary gain is bought at a ruinous after-cost.