In which we reflect on themes introduced in these pages.
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JAMES FRASER/THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, UK
England is the mother of Parliaments.
John Bright
From a speech in Birmingham, England
January 18, 1865
Parliament is not a congress of ambassadors from different and hostile interests…but parliament is a deliberative assembly of one nation, with one interest, that of the whole; where, not local purposes, not local prejudices ought to guide, but the general good, resulting from the general reason of the whole.
Edmund Burke
From a speech to the Electors of Bristol
November 3, 1774
From John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress:
Hanging is too good for him, said Mr. Cruelty. Sleep is sweet to the labouring man.
A man that could look no way but downwards, with a muckrake in his hand.
It beareth the name of Vanity-Fair, because the town where ’tis kept, is lighter than vanity.
The Wit & Wisdom of W.S. Gilbert:
When every one is somebodee, Then no one’s anybody.
The Gondoliers
The prospect of a lot Of dull MPs in close proximity, All thinking for themselves is what No man can face with equanimity.
Iolanthe
For he might have been a Roosian, A French, or Turk, or Proosian, Or perhaps Ital-ian!
But in spite of all temptations To belong to other nations, He remains an Englishman!
The H.M.S. Pinafore
I am happy to think that there will be no difficulty in finding plenty of people whose loss will be a distinct gain to society at large.
The Mikado
The question is, had he not been A thing of beauty, Would she be swayed by quite as keen A sense of duty?
Take heart, fair days will shine; Take any heart, take mine!
When constabulary duty’s to be done, A policeman’s lot is not a happy one.
The Pirates of Penzance