Mr. Labouchere has said he would rather have a gentleman of bad morals who voted right, than a gentleman whose morals were right but who voted wrong. Well, I would rather have a gentleman whose manners are good, even though he votes wrong, than one who votes right and whose manners are bad.
Licensed Victuallers' Dinner,
July 13th, 1891.
[REVERENCE FOR RELIGION.]
As I grow older I find that the younger people are the less they like advice, and the less likely they are to take it. But I hope you will henceforth be good citizens of this great country. In your Brigade you are taught to have reverence for religion and respect for authority, which are great principles to get on with.
Boys' Brigade Inspection,
April 4th, 1895.
[THE TEACHING OF REFINEMENT.]
There has been a great deal of talk lately about education. We have had board schools and national schools, and we are now going to have technical schools. But there is one point we have not yet arrived at—the teaching of refinement. I look upon the Eisteddfod as encouraging literature and music and art, as one of the great institutions for the encouragement of refinement in general life. We may become very well educated and very scientific, but unless there is refinement among us in general life, we will naturally tend towards roughness of manners.
Brecon Eisteddfod,
August 18th, 1889.