Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) was Britain’s first and only Jewish prime minister, and a best-selling novelist.
Disraeli was born in London to Italian-Jewish parents but baptized as a Christian before his 13th birthday. His father, Isaac D’Israeli, was an English writer and scholar, and Disraeli grew up around people who loved books. He published his first book anonymously at age 22—Vivian Grey became one of the most popular novels of its time. He wrote numerous other books, even during his career as a great statesman and orator.
Disraeli belonged to the Conservative Party and influenced its policies of popular democracy and imperialism. He was one of the “big Englanders” who worked to expand the British Empire. He became prime minister after 50 years in politics. Nationally, he concentrated on social reform, public health, labor exploitation, and the recognition of trades unions. Overseas, his acquisition of shares in the Suez Canal for Britain was a major success. He died soon after his 1881 general election defeat.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Benjamin Disraeli
Nobody should ever look anxious except those who have no anxiety.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Worry
Nurture your mind with great thoughts; to believe in the heroic makes heroes.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Heroes, Knowledge, Attitude, Thoughts, Reason, Thought
It is the lot of man to suffer.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Suffering
Frank and explicit; that is the right line to take when you wish to conceal your own mind and to confuse the minds of others.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Sincerity, Truth, Honesty, Candor
She is an excellent creature, but she can never remember which came first, the Greeks or the Romans.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Memory
Courage is fire, and bullying is smoke.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Bravery, Courage, One liners
Man is not the creature of circumstances, circumstances are the creatures of man. We are free agents, and man is more powerful than matter.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Mankind, Life, Self-reliance, Circumstance, Man, Freedom
There can be no economy where there is no efficiency.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Economy
Everything comes if a man will only wait.
—Benjamin Disraeli
A new acquaintance is like a new book. I prefer it, even if bad, to a classic.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Friendship
As a general rule, nobody has money who ought to have it.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Money
Increased means and increased leisure are the two civilizers of man.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Leisure, Civilization
To be conscious that you are ignorant of the facts is a great step in knowledge.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Wisdom, Learn, Knowledge, Ignorance
Next to knowing when to seize an opportunity, the most important thing in life is to know when to forego an advantage.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Opportunity, Opportunities
That magic of first love is our ignorance that it can ever end.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Ignorance, Feelings, Love
Having the courage to live within one’s means is respectability.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Respect
Something will turn up.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Belief, Faith
Duty cannot exist without faith.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Duty
There is no education like adversity.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Difficulties, Adversity, Challenges, Education
Little things affect little minds.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Attitude, Mediocrity
How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Criticism, Critics, Art
The disappointment of manhood succeeds the delusion of youth.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Age, Failure, Disappointment
We moralize among ruins.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Morality, Morals
The fool wonders, the wise man asks.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Wisdom
We are not creatures of circumstance; we are creators of circumstance.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Destiny, One liners
The English nation is never so great as in adversity.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Adversity, Difficulties
Seeing much, suffering much, and studying much, are the three pillars of learning.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Wisdom, Dying, Learning
Success is the child of audacity.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Success, Success & Failure
A dark horse, which had never been thought of, rushed past the grandstand in sweeping triumph.
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Achievements
I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?
—Benjamin Disraeli
Topics: Leadership, Leaders
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