Frasi di William Lamb, II visconte Melbourne

“I medici inglesi ti uccidono, quelli francesi ti lasciano morire.”

“Non importa molto quello che diciamo, ma badate, dobbiamo tutti dire la stessa cosa.”

“Un dottrinario è uno stupido ma un uomo onesto.”

“I miei principi sono, come credo, i principi Whig della Gloriosa Rivoluzione. Il loro principale fondamento è la non-responsabilità della corona, la conseguente responsabilità dei ministri, e il mantenimento del potere e della dignità del parlamento come costituito dalla legge e dalla tradizione. Con un gran numero di moderne aggiunte, interpolazioni, fatti e leggende, io non ho nulla a che fare.”

“Io dico, Arcivescovo, che tutto questo riformare porta ad una dannata quantità di guai, eh? eh? Vorrei che avessero lasciato le cose così… io dico, Arcivescovo, che cosa pensate che io avrei fatto in merito a questi affari di schiavismo, se fosse stata la mia strada? Io non avrei fatto proprio nulla! Io avrei lasciato le cose come stanno. Si tratta solo di un mucchio di sciocchezze! Sempre ci sono stati schiavi nei paesi più civili; i Greci ed i Romani avevano schiavi; comunque, hanno voluto il loro capriccio, e così noi abbiamo abolito lo schiavismo; ma è stata una grossa sciocchezza.”

“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.”

“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.”

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

“I wish I were as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything.”

“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.”

“It is…in my humble opinion, not a desirable thing for us to be dependent for our nourishment on foreign supplies, and I think it would be wise even to sacrifice something of commercial prosperity to the national safety and independence. This…is my strong feeling, and I have great doubt whether our commerce has not been increased by our agricultural prosperity. I entirely agree…that any change in the present system would be an evil.”

“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.”