Phineas Redux

"“Would that be justice, ladies?” asked the just man. “It would be success, Mr. Low, — which is a great deal the better thing of the two.”"

"The circumstances seemed to be simple; but they who understood such matters declared that the duration of a trial depended a great deal more on the public interest felt in the matter than upon its own nature."

"Many people talk much, and then very many people talk very much more."

"“Not in the least. I have but one ambition.” “And that is — ?” “To be the serviceable slave of my country.” “A master is more serviceable than a slave,” said the old man. “No; no; I deny it. I can admit much from you, but I cannot admit that. The politician who becomes the master of his country sinks from the statesman to the tyrant.”"

"Your nature is decimals. I run after units."

"Caveat emptor is the only motto going, and the worst proverb that ever came from the dishonest stony-hearted Rome."

"“I should have thought any dealer would have taken him back for the sake of his character.” “Any dealer would; but — I bought him from a gentleman.”"

"I never believe anything that a lawyer says when he has a wig on his head and a fee in his hand. I prepare myself beforehand to regard it all as mere words, supplied at so much the thousand. I know he‘ll say whatever he thinks most likely to forward his own views."

"He was essentially a truth-speaking man, if only he know how to speak the truth."

"The property of manliness in a man is a great possession, but perhaps there is none that is less understood, — which is more generally accorded where it does not exist, nor more frequently disallowed where it prevails."

"The natural man will probably be manly. The affected man cannot be so."

"“Isn‘t there some trouble about money?” “They wouldn‘t be very rich, Duchess.” “What a blessing for them! But then, perhaps, they‘d be very poor.” “They would be rather poor.” “Which is not a blessing.”"

"No doubt there were other first cousins as badly off, or perhaps worse, as to whom the Duchess would care nothing whether they were rich or poor, — married or single; but then they were first cousins who had not had the advantage of interesting the Duchess."

"I don't much admire your taste, my dear, because he‘s a hundred and fifty years old; — and what there is of him comes chiefly from the tailor."

"I doubt whether patriotism can stand the wear and tear and temptation of the front benches in the House of Commons."

"An enemy might at any time become a friend, but while an enemy was an enemy he should be trodden on and persecuted."

"“He is such a gentleman; — and, at the same time, the most abstract and the most concrete man that I know.” “Abstract and concrete!” “You are bound to use adjectives of that sort now, Miss Palliser, if you mean to be anybody in conversation.”"

"He becomes strenuous, energetic, and perhaps eager for what must after all be regarded as success, and at last he fights for a verdict rather than for the truth."

"People go on quarrelling and fancying this and that, and thinking that the world is full of romance and poetry. When they get married they know better."

"“Perhaps I had better tell you the truth, Mr. Gresham.” “Oh, certainly,” said the Prime Minister, who knew very well that on such occasions nothing could be worse than the telling of disagreeable truths."