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Benjamin Disraeli Quotes - Page 17

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The characteristic of the present age is craving credulity.

The characteristic of the present age is craving credulity.

Benjamin Disraeli
Age, Characteristics, Craving
Speech at Oxford, 25 November 1864, in 'The Times' 26 November 1864

You must not contrast too strongly the hours of courtship with the years of possession.

Benjamin Disraeli
Years, Hours, Possession
Benjamin Disraeli (Earl of Beaconsfield) (1886). “Wit and Wisdom of Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield: Collected from His Writings and Speeches”

We are indeed a nation of shopkeepers.

Benjamin Disraeli
England, Shopkeepers, Nations
Benjamin Disraeli (2016). “Delphi Complete Works of Benjamin Disraeli (Illustrated)”, p.611, Delphi Classics

London owes everything to its press: it owes as much to its press as it does to its being the seat of government and the law.

Benjamin Disraeli
Government, Law, Doe
Benjamin Disraeli's speech at the Printing Trade Festival, 1845.

Our domestic affections are the most salutary basis of all good government.

Benjamin Disraeli
Government, Affection, Bases
Benjamin Disraeli, Edmund Gosse, Robert Arnot (1904). “The works of Benjamin Disraeli, earl of Beaconsfield: embracing novels, romances, plays, poems, biography, short stories and great speeches”

Proverbs were anterior to boots, and formed the wisdom of the vulgar, and in the earliest ages were the unwritten laws of morality.

Benjamin Disraeli
Law, Age, Boots

There are few young women in existence who have not the power of fascinating, if they choose to exert it.

Benjamin Disraeli
Flirting, Young, Existence

You know, all is development. The principle is perpetually going on. First, there was nothing, then there was something; then-I forget the next-I think there were shells, then fishes; then we came-let me see-did we come next? Never mind that; we came at last. And at the next change there will be something very superior to us-something with wings. Ah! That's it: we were fishes, and I believe we shall be crows.

Benjamin Disraeli
Believe, Science, Thinking
Benjamin Disraeli (1847). “Tancred: Or, The New Crusade”, p.124

England is unrivalled for two things - sport and politics.

Benjamin Disraeli
Sports, Two, England
Benjamin Disraeli, (1992). “The Sayings of Disraeli”, p.13, Gerald Duckworth & Co

Books are the curse of the human race.

Benjamin Disraeli
Book, Race, Curse
Benjamin Disraeli (1875). “Collected Edition of the Novels and Tales”, p.137

The unfortunate are always egotistical.

Benjamin Disraeli
Egotistical, Egotism, Unfortunate
Benjamin Disraeli, Edmund Gosse, Robert Arnot (1904). “The works of Benjamin Disraeli, earl of Beaconsfield: embracing novels, romances, plays, poems, biography, short stories and great speeches”

The difference between a misfortune and a calamity is this: If Gladstone fell into the Thames, it would be a misfortune. But if someone dragged him out again, that would be a calamity.

Benjamin Disraeli
Differences, Would Be, Politics

The constitution of England is not a paper constitution. It is an aggregate of institutions, many of them founded merely upon prescription, some of them fortified by muniments, but all of them the fruit and experience of an ancient and illustrious people.

Benjamin Disraeli
Government, People, Paper
Benjamin Disraeli (Earl of Beaconsfield) (1886). “Wit and Wisdom of Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield: Collected from His Writings and Speeches”

The Italians say it is not necessary to be a stag; but we ought not to be a tortoise.

Benjamin Disraeli
Tortoises, Stags, Ought
Isaac Disraeli, Benjamin Disraeli (Earl of Beaconsfield) (1861). “Curiosities of literature”, p.255

Poverty has its duties as well as its rights.

Benjamin Disraeli
Rights, Poverty, Duty

Protection is not a principle but an expedient

Benjamin Disraeli
Principles, Protection
'Hansard' 17 March 1845

I see before me the statue of a celebrated minister, who said that confidence was a plant of slow growth. But I believe, however gradual may be the growth of confidence, that of credit requires still more time to arrive at maturity.

Benjamin Disraeli
Time, Believe, Maturity
Benjamin Disraeli (Earl of Beaconsfield) (1886). “Wit and Wisdom of Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield: Collected from His Writings and Speeches”

Tobacco is the tomb of love.

Benjamin Disraeli
Smoking, Tobacco, Tombs
Benjamin Disraeli (1845). “Sybil: Or, The Two Nations”, p.139

Female friendships are of rapid growth.

Benjamin Disraeli
Friendship, Growth, Female
Benjamin Disraeli (2016). “Delphi Complete Works of Benjamin Disraeli (Illustrated)”, p.5010, Delphi Classics

The English nation is never so great as in adversity.

Benjamin Disraeli
Adversity, England, Nations
Benjamin Disraeli (Earl of Beaconsfield) (1886). “Wit and Wisdom of Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield: Collected from His Writings and Speeches”

The age does not believe in great men, because it does not possess any.

Benjamin Disraeli
Believe, Greatness, Men
Benjamin Disraeli (1863). “Coningsby, Or, The New Generation”, p.88

You have despoiled churches. You have threatened every corporation and endowment in the country. You have examined into everybodys affairs. You have criticised every profession and vexed every trade. No one is certain of his property, and nobody knows what duties he may have to perform to-morrow. This is the policy of confiscation as compared with that of concurrent endowment.

Benjamin Disraeli
Country, Church, May
Benjamin Disraeli (earl of Beaconsfield.) (1882). “Selected speeches, ed. by T.E. Kebbel”

If a man be gloomy let him keep to himself. No one has the right to go croaking about society, or what is worse, looking as if he stifled grief.

Benjamin Disraeli
Attitude, Grief, Men
Benjamin Disraeli (2016). “Delphi Complete Works of Benjamin Disraeli (Illustrated)”, p.818, Delphi Classics

Coquettes are, but too rare. It is a career that requires great abilities, infinite pains, a gay and airy spirit. 'T is the coquette who provides all the amusements,--suggests the riding-party, plans the picnic, gives and guesses charades, acts them. She is the stirring element amid the heavy congeries of social atoms,--the soul of the house, the salt of the banquet.

Benjamin Disraeli
Pain, Party, Gay

The girl of the period sets up to be natural, and is only rude; mistakes insolence for innocence; says everything that comes first to her lips, and thinks she is gay when she is only giddy.

Benjamin Disraeli
Girl, Mistake, Gay
Benjamin Disraeli (Earl of Beaconsfield) (1881). “Wit and Wisdom”