Thomas B. Macaulay
Thomas B. Macaulay
Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay, PCwas a British historian and Whig politician. He wrote extensively as an essayist and reviewer; his books on British history have been hailed as literary masterpieces. He was a member of the Babington family by virtue of his aunt's marriage to Thomas Babington...
strong military government
I have not the smallest doubt that, if we had a purely democratic government here, the effect would be the same. Either the poor would plunder the rich, and civilisation would perish; or order and property would be saved by a strong military government, and liberty would perish.
freedom government order
As freedom is the only safeguard of governments, so are order and moderation generally necessary to preserve freedom.
benevolence politeness wells
Politeness has been well defined as benevolence in small things.
money law would-be
Even the law of gravitation would be brought into dispute were there a pecuniary interest involved.
equal
Shakespeare has had neither equal nor second.
firsts biographers
Boswell is the first of biographers.
spoons diners eating
Ye diners out from whom we guard our spoons.
civilization poetry decline
As civilization advances, poetry almost necessarily declines.
life evil faithful
But thou, through good and evil, praise and blame, Wilt not thou love me for myself alone? Yes, thou wilt love me with exceeding love, And I will tenfold all that love repay; Still smiling, though the tender may reprove, Still faithful, though the trusted may betray.
knowledge knowing-everything cedars
A kind of semi-Solomon, half-knowing everything, from the cedar to the hyssop.
freedom civilization democracies-have
I have long been convinced that institutions purely democratic must, sooner or later, destroy liberty or civilization, or both.
book choices library
Books are becoming everything to me. If I had at this moment any choice in life, I would bury myself in one of those immense libraries...and never pass a waking hour without a book before me.
book blessing able
What a blessing it is to love books as I love them;- to be able to converse with the dead, and to live amidst the unreal!
morality ridiculous fit
We know no spectacle so ridiculous as the British public in one of its periodical fits of morality.