Nations seldom realise till too late how prominent a place a sound system of finance holds among the vital elements of national stability and well-being; how few political changes are worth purchasing by its sacrifice; how widely and seriously human happiness is affected by the downfall or the perturbation of national credit, or by excessive, injudicious, and unjust taxation.

More quotes by William Edward Hartpole Lecky

The Religious Tendencies of the Age (1860)

The map of life; conduct and character (1899)

History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe (1910)

A History of European Morals from Augustus to Charlemagne (1869)

A History of European Morals from Augustus to Charlemagne (1869)

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: William Edward Hartpole Lecky (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.