Quote

It is often said that men are ruled by their imaginations but it would be truer to say they are governed by the weakness of their imaginations.

Walter Bagehot

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Walter Bagehot
Age: 51 †
Born: 1826
Born: February 3
Died: 1877
Died: March 24
Businessperson
Economist
Engineer
Journalist
Political Scientist
Politician
Sociologist
Langport
Somerset
Imagination
Often
Would
Men
Truer
Imaginations
Ruled
Governed
Weakness

More quotes by Walter Bagehot

Image
The being without an opinion is so painful to human nature that most people will leap to a hasty opinion rather than undergo it.
Walter Bagehot
Image
A slight daily unconscious luxury is hardly ever wanting to the dwellers in civilization like the gentle air of a genial climate, it is a perpetual minute enjoyment.
Walter Bagehot
Image
The best history is but like the art of Rembrandt it casts a vivid light on certain selected causes, on those which were best and greatest it leaves all the rest in shadow and unseen.
Walter Bagehot
Image
What we opprobriously call stupidity, though not an enlivening quality in common society, is nature's favorite resource for preserving steadiness of conduct and consistency of opinion.
Walter Bagehot
Image
All people are most credulous when they are most happy.
Walter Bagehot
Image
In the faculty of writing nonsense, stupidity is no match for genius.
Walter Bagehot
Image
The caucus is a sort of representative meeting which sits voting and voting till they have cut out all the known men against whom much is to be said, and agreed on some unknown man against whom there is nothing known, and therefore nothing to be alleged.
Walter Bagehot
Image
Great and terrible systems of divinity and philosophy lie round about us, which, if true, might drive a wise man mad.
Walter Bagehot
Image
Nations touch at their summits.
Walter Bagehot
Image
No real English gentleman, in his secret soul, was ever sorry for the death of a political economist.
Walter Bagehot
Image
The reason why so few good books are written is that so few people who can write know anything.
Walter Bagehot
Image
The whole history of civilization is strewn with creeds and institutions which were invaluable at first, and deadly afterwards
Walter Bagehot
Image
No great work has ever been produced except after a long interval of still and musing meditation.
Walter Bagehot
Image
History is strewn with the wrecks of nations which have gained a little progressiveness at the cost of a great deal of hard manliness, and have thus prepared themselves for destruction as soon as the movements of the world have a chance for it.
Walter Bagehot
Image
Progress would not have been the rarity it is if the early food had not been the late poison.
Walter Bagehot
Image
Most men of business think Anyhow this system will probably last my time. It has gone on a long time, and is likely to go on still.
Walter Bagehot
Image
The purse strings tie us to our kind.
Walter Bagehot
Image
Money is economic power.
Walter Bagehot
Image
The essence of Toryism is enjoyment?but as far as communicating and establishing your creed are concernedtrya little pleasure. The way to keep up old customs is, to enjoy old customs the way to be satisfied with the present state of things is, to enjoy that state of things.
Walter Bagehot
Image
Capital must be propelled by self-interest it cannot be enticed by benevolence.
Walter Bagehot