Anthony Trollope

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

“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.

He made his point well; but he made it too often. And an attack of that kind, personal and savage in its nature, loses its effect when it is evident that the words have been prepared. A good deal may be done in dispute by calling a man an ass or a knave, — but the resolve to use the words should have been made only at the moment, and they should come hot from the heart.

The secrets of the world are very marvellous, but they are not themselves half so wonderful as the way in which they become known to the world.

The sober devil can hide his cloven hoof; but when the devil drinks he loses his cunning and grows honest.

Most of the young men rise now by making themselves thoroughly disagreeable. Abuse a Minister every night for half a session, and you may be sure to be in office the other half, — if you care about it.

The double pleasure of pulling down an opponent, and of raising oneself, is the charm of a politician’s life.

To oblige a friend by inflicting an injury on his enemy is often more easy than to confer a benefit on the friend himself.

The grace and beauty of life will be clean gone when we all become useful men.

He possessed the rare merit of making a property of his time and not a burden.

He had married, let us say for love; — probably very much by chance.

In political matters it is very hard for a man in office to be purer than his neighbours, — and, when he is so, he becomes troublesome.