James Fitzjames Stephen Quotes

#1. Persuasion, indeed, is a kind of force. It consists in showing a person the consequences of his actions. It is, in a word, force applied through the mind.

James Fitzjames Stephen

#2. Originally consists in thinking for yourself, and not in thinking unlike other people.

James Fitzjames Stephen

#3. The only shape in which equality is really connected with justice is this - justice presupposes general rules. If these general rules are to be maintained at all, it is obvious that they must be applied equally to every case which satisfies their terms.

James Fitzjames Stephen

#4. Not only are the varieties of morality innumerable, but some of them are conflicting with each other.

James Fitzjames Stephen

#5. The things which cannot be adequately represented by words are more important than those which can.

James Fitzjames Stephen

#6. Wisdom may be the ultimate arbiter, but is seldom the immediate agent in human affairs.

James Fitzjames Stephen

#7. A well-judging man will open his trunk-line of study in such a direction that, while habitually adhering to it, he may enjoy a ready access to such other fields of knowledge as are most nearly related to it.

James Fitzjames Stephen

#8. Power and courtly influence form an intoxicating draught even when raised to the lips of an ascetic and a saint.

James Fitzjames Stephen

#9. A liberal conservative is a man who thinks things ought to progress but would rather they remained as they are.

James Fitzjames Stephen

#10. To try to make men equal by altering social arrangements is like trying to make the cards of equal value by shuffling the pack.

James Fitzjames Stephen