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The fine constitutional principles we have inherited from Magna Carta and parliament started off as the mere rhetorical perfume the barons doused themselves in to cover the stench of their own treachery. ... Fondness may be a more appropriate thing to feel about them than pride.

— David Mitchell

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More quotes by David Mitchell

Once a line of succession becomes open to different interpretations, it has ceased to function.

Trusting the state doesn't make it more trustworthy.

Dying was by far the most astute and successful thing King John did in his entire reign.

The world has never been fair, and cannot be made fair, and claims that it can are foolish or dishonest. It can be made fairer and attempts to make it less fair can be resisted. Optimistic realists seek improvement, not perfection.

Their certainty that they were right is worth remembering because it means there's probably stuff we're certain is right that future ages will correctly judge to be monstrous. The fact that everybody is convinced of something is no guarantee that it isn't evil horseshit.

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Attribution

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