On the record
Whatever he did had a sanctity different from what any one else did, and it perversely happened that he was commonly wrong.
Said by
Walter Bagehot
Source
gutenberg.orgWalter Bagehot: “Whatever he did had a sanctity different from what any one else did, and it perversely happened that he was commonly…”
Editor's note · Context
Bagehot critiques the actions of a monarch, emphasizing the sanctity attributed to them despite their errors.
Share
More from Walter Bagehot
One of the greatest pains to human nature is the pain of a new idea.
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.
Perhaps such powers as these are what a wise man would most seek to exercise and least fear to possess.
They are above corruption because they are the corruptors.
Other voices in this conversation
