George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax (1633–95) was an English statesman and political writer. His principles of moderation and avoidance of extremes have appealed to many 20th-century political thinkers.
Born in Thornhill, West Yorkshire, Halifax served in the House of Commons in 1660 and the House of Lords after he was elevated to the peerage in 1668. He was influential in the court of King Charles II.
Halifax exemplified and advocated the “middle path” in politics during the fierce party struggles of his post-Restoration era. Known as “The Trimmer,” his conciliatory approach made him an unbiased evaluator rather than a forceful politician.
Halifax wrote numerous political pamphlets. His notable works include Character of King Charles the Second (1685) and The Character of a Trimmer (1688,) a testimonial of his political doctrine.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax
True merit, like a river, the deeper it is, the less noise it makes.
—George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax
Topics: Humility, Truth
The best way to suppose what may come is to remember what is past.
—George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax
Topics: Experience
A man who cannot mind his own business is not to be trusted with the king’s.
—George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax
Topics: Business
Men who borrow their opinions can never repay their debts.
—George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax
Topics: Opinion, Thinking
The mind, like the body, is subject to be hurt by everything it taketh for a remedy.
—George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax
Some men’s memory is like a box where a man should mingle his jewels with his old shoes.
—George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax
He who thinks his place below him, will certainly be below his place.
—George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax
Topics: Business
A prince who will not undergo the difficulty of understanding must undergo the danger of trusting.
—George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax
Topics: Difficulty
Most men make little use of their speech than to give evidence against their own understanding.
—George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax
Topics: Speech
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax British Politician
John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn British Statesman
Benjamin Disraeli British Head of State
William Ewart Gladstone English Liberal Statesman
Ramsay MacDonald British Head of State
Neville Chamberlain British Head of State
Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury British Statesman
George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick British Nobleman
Edward Gibbon English Historian
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke English Politician