Great men are almost always bad men.
Lord ActonRead
I mourn for the stake which was lost at Richmond more deeply than I rejoice over that which was saved at Waterloo.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a deeper sorrow for lost opportunities than joy for victories.
In this quote, Lord Acton emphasizes the weight of losses, suggesting that the pain of defeat often overshadows the satisfaction of success. By lamenting the stake lost at Richmond more profoundly than celebrating the victory at Waterloo, he highlights the tendency of human nature to dwell on failures rather than rejoice in triumphs, which can serve as a poignant reminder of the emotional toll of historical events.
Themes
LossVictoryHistoryEmotionReflection
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about resilience, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of acknowledging our failures.
More from Lord Acton
All quotes βSave for the wild force of Nature, nothing moves in this world that is not Greek in its origin.
Lord ActonRead
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Lord ActonRead
Liberty and good government do not exclude each other; and there are excellent reasons why they should go together. Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.
Lord ActonRead
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end...liberty is the only object which benefits all alike, and provokes no sincere opposition...The danger is not that a particular class is unfit to govern. ~ Every class is unfit to govern ... Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.
Lord ActonRead
Limitation is essential to authority. A government is legitimate only if it is effectively limited.
Lord ActonRead
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