William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne quotes

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne was a British statesman and Prime Minister during the early Victorian period. A trusted advisor to Queen Victoria, he played an important role in helping her navigate her early years on the throne. He is remembered as a moderate leader who guided the country through significant political changes. Here are 19 of his quotes:

Nobody ever did anything very foolish except from some strong principle.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

What all the wise men promised has not happened, and what all the damned fools said would happen has come to pass.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

My esoteric doctrine, is that if you entertain any doubt, it is safest to take the unpopular side in the first instance. Transit from the unpopular, is easy... but from the popular to the unpopular is so steep and rugged that it is impossible to maintain it.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

That is no use at all. What I want is men who will support me when I am in the wrong.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

It is not much matter which we say, but mind, we must all say the same.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

In Torrens, Life of Lord Melbourne, Volume I, p. 320, and in Walpole's History of England from Conclusion of the Great War, Volume III, p. 143.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

...the possession of great power necessarily implies great responsibility.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

My principles are, as I believe, the Whig principles of the revolution. The main foundation of them is the irresponsibility of the crown, the consequent responsibility of ministers, and the preservation of the power and dignity of parliament as constituted by law and custom. With a heap of modern additions, interpolations, facts and fictions, I have nothing to do.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

I say, Archbishop, all this reforming gives a deuced deal of trouble, eh? eh? I wish they'd let it all alone...I say, Archbishop, what do you think I'd have done about this slavery business, if I'd had my own way? I'd have done nothing at all! I'd have left it all alone. It's all a pack of nonsense! Always have been slaves in all the most civilised countries; the Greeks and Romans had slaves; however, they would have their fancy, and so we've abolished slavery; but it's a great folly.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

I now, my Lords, frankly declare that I resume office unequivocally and solely for this reason-that I will not abandon my Sovereign in a situation of difficulty and distress, and especially when a demand is made upon her Majesty, with which I think she ought not to comply-a demand, in my opinion, my Lords, inconsistent with her personal honour, and which, if acquiesced in, would make her reign liable to all the changes and variations of political parties, and render her domestic life one constant scene of unhappiness and discomfort.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

A doctrinaire is a fool but an honest man.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

Things are coming to a pretty pass when religion is allowed to invade private life.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

It wounds a man less to confess that he has failed in any pursuit through idleness, neglect, the love of pleasure, etc., etc., which are his own faults, than through incapacity and unfitness, which are the faults of his nature.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

The whole duty of government is to prevent crime and to preserve contracts.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

Once is orthodox, twice is puritanical.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

Neither man nor woman can be worth anything until they have discovered that they are fools.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne

It is safest to take the unpopular side in the first instance. Transit from the unpopular is easy... but from the popular to the unpopular is so steep and rugged that it is impossible to maintain it.

William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne