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Quotes from Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections — George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax

d. 1695

← All quotes by George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax

53 quotes

A Man may dwell so long upon a Thought, that it may take him Prisoner.

Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)

The best Qualification of a Prophet is to have a good Memory.

Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)

Half the Truth is often as arrant a Lye, as can be made.

Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)

When by habit a man cometh to have a bargaining soul, its wings are cut, so that it can never soar. It bindeth reason an apprentice to gain, and instead of a director, maketh it a drudge.

Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)

A Little Learning misleadeth, and a great deal often stupifieth the Understanding.

Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)

There is Reason to think the most celebrated Philosophers would have been Bunglers at Business ; but the Reason is because they despised it.

Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)

Suspicion seldom wanteth Food to keep it up in Health and Vigour. It feedeth upon every thing it seeth, and is not curious in its Diet.

Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)

It is not a reproach but a compliment to learning, to say, that great scholars are less fit for business; since the truth is, business is so much a lower thing than learning, that a man used to the last cannot easily bring his stomach down to the first.

Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)

Some Mens Memory is like a Box, where a Man should mingle his Jewels with his old Shoes.

Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)

No Man is so much a Fool as not to have Wit enough sometimes to be a Knave ; nor any so cunning a Knave, as not to have the Weakness sometimes to play the Fool.

Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)

Hope is generally a wrong Guide, though it is very good Company by the way. It brusheth through Hedge and Ditch till it cometh to a great Leap, and there it is apt to fall and break its Bones.

Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)

The best Party is but a kind of Conspiracy against the rest of the Nation. They put every body else out of their Protection. Like the Jews to the Gentiles, all others are the Offscowrings of the World.

Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)

Weak men are apt to be cruel.

Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections (1750)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.