Lord Melbourne Quotes

A collection of quotes by Lord Melbourne.

Lord Melbourne, also known as William Lamb, was a prominent British politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1834 to 1835 and again from 1835 to 1841. Born on March 15, 1779, he came from a politically influential family and was known for his wit and charm. Melbourne played a significant role in the passage of important reforms during his tenure, including the Poor Law Amendment Act and the Municipal Corporations Act. He was also known for his close relationship with Queen Victoria, acting as her mentor and advisor. Lord Melbourne passed away on November 24, 1848.

Things are coming to a pretty pass when religion is allowed

Things are coming to a pretty pass when religion is allowed to invade private life.

Religion

Once is orthodox, twice is puritanical.

Once is orthodox, twice is puritanical.

Religion

It is not much matter which we say, but mind, we must all sa

It is not much matter which we say, but mind, we must all say the same.

Agreement

You should never assume contempt for that which it is not ve

You should never assume contempt for that which it is not very manifest that you have it in your power to possess, nor does a wit ever make a more contemptible figure than when, in attempting satire, he shows that he does not understand that which he would make the subject of his ridicule.

Criticism

Neither man nor woman can be worth anything until they have

Neither man nor woman can be worth anything until they have discovered that they are fools. This is the first step towards becoming either estimable or agreeable; and until it be taken there is no hope. The sooner the discovery is made the better, as there is more time and power for taking advantage of it. Sometimes the great truth is found out too late to apply to it any effectual remedy. Sometimes it is never found at all; and these form the desperate and inveterate causes of folly, self-conceit, and impertinence.

Identity

Your friends praise your abilities to the skies, submit to y

Your friends praise your abilities to the skies, submit to you in argument, and seem to have the greatest deference for you; but, though they may ask it, you never find them following your advice upon their own affairs; nor allowing you to manage your own, without thinking that you should follow theirs. Thus, in fact, they all think themselves wiser than you, whatever they may say.

Advice

The whole duty of government is to prevent crime and to pres

The whole duty of government is to prevent crime and to preserve contracts.

Government

Nobody ever did anything very foolish except from some stron

Nobody ever did anything very foolish except from some strong principle.

Principles

That is no use at all. What I want is men who will support m

That is no use at all. What I want is men who will support me when I am in the wrong.

Leadership

It wounds a man less to confess that he has failed in any pu

It wounds a man less to confess that he has failed in any pursuit through idleness, neglect, the love of pleasure, etc., etc., which are his own faults, than through incapacity and unfitness, which are the faults of his nature.

Perfection

A doctrinaire is a fool but an honest man.

A doctrinaire is a fool but an honest man.

Principles

My esoteric doctrine, is that if you entertain any doubt, it

My esoteric doctrine, is that if you entertain any doubt, it is safest to take the unpopular side in the first instance. Transit from the unpopular, is easy... but from the popular to the unpopular is so steep and rugged that it is impossible to maintain it.

Principles

I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of e

I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything.

Confidence

Wealth is so much the greatest good that Fortune has to best

Wealth is so much the greatest good that Fortune has to bestow that in the Latin and English languages it has usurped her name.

Wealth

If it was not absolutely necessary, it was the foolishest th

If it was not absolutely necessary, it was the foolishest thing ever done.

Reform Correction