Walter Bagehot: “The tradition ascribing Spartan legislation to Lycurgus was literally…”

On the record

The tradition ascribing Spartan legislation to Lycurgus was literally untrue, but its spirit was quite true.

Said by

Walter Bagehot

Source

Bagehot critiques the traditional attribution of Spartan legislation to Lycurgus, highlighting the truth in its spirit.

More from Walter Bagehot

It is absurd to choose by contested party election an impartial chooser of Ministers.

In early society, originality in life was forbidden and repressed by the fixed rule of life.

They have given what I may call a CONFIDENCE IN THE UNIVERSE.

But all men heed great results, and a change of Government is a great result.

Other voices in this conversation

Walter Bagehot: “The tradition ascribing Spartan legislation to Lycurgus was literally untrue, but its spirit was quite true.”