William Ralph Inge

It is astonishing with how little wisdom mankind can be governed, when that little wisdom is its own. ↗

— William Ralph Inge

#astonishing #governed #how #little #mankind

Prayer gives a man the opportunity of getting to know a gentleman he hardly ever meets. I do not mean his maker, but himself. ↗

— William Ralph Inge

#gentleman #getting #gives #hardly #himself

Consciousness is a phase of mental life which arises in connection with the formation of new habits. When habit is formed, consciousness only interferes to spoil our performance. ↗

— William Ralph Inge

#connection #consciousness #formation #formed #habit

Every institution not only carries within it the seeds of its own dissolution, but prepares the way for its most hated rival. ↗

— William Ralph Inge

#dissolution #every #hated #institution #most

I think middle-age is the best time, if we can escape the fatty degeneration of the conscience which often sets in at about fifty. ↗

— William Ralph Inge

#best #best time #conscience #degeneration #escape

Literature flourishes best when it is half a trade and half an art. ↗

— William Ralph Inge

#best #flourishes #half #literature #trade

No Christian can be a pessimist, for Christianity is a system of radical optimism. ↗

— William Ralph Inge

#christianity #optimism #pessimist #radical #system

Public opinion, a vulgar, impertinent, anonymous tyrant who deliberately makes life unpleasant for anyone who is not content to the average person. ↗

— William Ralph Inge

#anyone #average #average person #content #deliberately

A man may build himself a throne of bayonets, but he can't sit on it. ↗

— William Ralph Inge

#build #himself #man #may #sit

I have never understood why it should be considered derogatory to the Creator to suppose that he has a sense of humour. ↗

— William Ralph Inge

#creator #derogatory #humour #i #never