Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury

“Many people would be content with a Republic, if they could be sure of a good king.”

“The commonest error in politics is sticking to the carcasses of dead policies.”

“English policy is to float lazily downstream, occasionally putting out a diplomatic boat-hook to avoid collision.”

“The day of small nations has passed away; the day of Empires has come.”

“If you believe the doctors, nothing is wholesome; if you believe the theologians, nothing is innocent; if you believe the soldiers, nothing is safe.”

“Delay is the secret of government.”

“We are part of the community of Europe, and we must do our duty as such.”

“We have to consider not what we should like to do, but what we can do.”

“First, the patient must be revived; then the malady must be dealt with.”

“The axioms of the last age are the fallacies of the present.”

“By office boys for office boys.”