Walter Bagehot: “Still less are the critical function and the animating function of a Parliamentary Minister likely to be perfectly…”

I own that I do not entirely sympathise with the horror of these anomalies which haunts some of our best critics.

It is natural that those who by special and admirable culture have come to look at all things upon the artistic side, should start back from these queer peculiarities.

Subject to this saving remark, however, I not only admit, but maintain, that our Constitution is full of curious oddities, which are impeding and mischievous, and ought to be struck out.

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.