Walter Bagehot: “No Prime Minister, so popular and so influential, has ever left in the public memory so little noble teaching.”

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.

Political philosophy is still more imperfect; it has been framed from observations taken upon regular specimens of politics and States; as to these its teaching is most valuable.

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.