James Bryce Quotes

A collection of quotes by James Bryce.

James Bryce (1838-1922) was a renowned British politician, lawyer, and historian. Born into a prominent Scottish family, he graduated from the University of Oxford and later pursued a successful career in law. Bryce served as a Member of Parliament, holding various roles in government, including Chief Secretary for Ireland. He gained international recognition for his scholarly work "The American Commonwealth," which analyzed the political system of the United States. Throughout his life, Bryce made significant contributions to legal and constitutional studies, advocating for political reform and serving as an ambassador to the United States.

Three-fourths of the mistakes a man makes are made because h

Three-fourths of the mistakes a man makes are made because he does not really know what he thinks he knows.

Medicine, the only profession that labors incessantly to des

Medicine, the only profession that labors incessantly to destroy the reason for its own existance.

Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving

Patriotism consists not in waving the flag, but in striving that our country shall be righteous as well as strong.

The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry

The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it.

Authors & Writing

A political career brings out the basest qualities in human

A political career brings out the basest qualities in human nature.

We have seen that the American Constitution has changed, is

We have seen that the American Constitution has changed, is changing, and by the law of its existence must continue to change, in its substance and practical working even when its words remain the same.

No wonder that, when a political career is so precarious, me

No wonder that, when a political career is so precarious, men of worth and capacity hesitate to embrace it. They cannot afford to be thrown out of their life's course by a mere accident.