"I see no reason why I should not be civil to the Members of the Corporation unless they are uncivil to me. I should probably do then what other people would do."
I see no reason why I should not be civil to the members of the Corporation unless they are uncivil to me. I should probably then do what other people would do. The Lord Mayor has said that Glamorgan could not claim me as a Glamorgan man. Well, I was born in Glamorgan, at Ruperra Castle, on this side of the Rumney. I know that if a man is born in a stable it doesn't make him a horse, but I always understood that the place of your birth had a certain claim upon you.
It is not very long ago that I was discussing with somebody what I was going to do in the future, and I quoted the line from Shakespeare: "My grief lies onward, but my joy is behind." I think now that I spoke a little too soon, this day being one of great joy to me, as you can easily understand.
Presentation of the Freedom of Cardiff to Viscount Tredegar,
October 25th, 1909.
[THE GOOD OLD ENGLISH OATH.]
I never was good at personal abuse. I have got a good old-fashioned oath when I am angry—a good old English oath, good enough for most people—but that is only when I am very angry. And though we have been told that this is the greatest crisis we have ever seen, unfortunately I cannot get angry enough about it to abuse other people. But in the circumstances, if I am put to it, I think I would quote Falstaff, who said, "If any part of a lie will do me grace, I will gild it with the heaviest terms I have."
South Monmouthshire Conservative Association,
December 22nd, 1909.