---
title: "2 Englishmen Quotes By R. H. Tawney"
description: "2 Englishmen quotes by R. H. Tawney. Plus more from R. H. Tawney and more Englishmen sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/r-h-tawney-25650_activity_the-characteristic-virtue-of-englishmen_653161.jpg"
---

> [The characteristic virtue of Englishmen is power of sustained practical activity and their characteristic vice a reluctance to test the quality of that activity by reference to principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/the-characteristic-virtue-of-englishmen-is-power-of-sustained/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/r-h-tawney-25650_activity_the-characteristic-virtue-of-englishmen_653161.jpg)

> [...and was disposed too often to idealize as a virtue that habit of mean subservience to wealth and social position which, after more than half a century of political democracy, is still the characteristic and odious vice of the Englishman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/and-was-disposed-too-often-to-idealize-as-a-virtue-that-habit-of-mean/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/r-h-tawney-25650_century_and-was-disposed-too-often-to-idealize-a_1677771.jpg)

## Other authors on Englishmen

## More by R. H. Tawney

> [It is not till it is discovered that high individual incomes will not purchase the mass of mankind immunity from cholera, typhus, and ignorance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/it-is-not-till-it-is-discovered-that-high-individual-incomes-will-not/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [Private property is a necessary institution, at least in a fallen world; men work more and dispute less when goods are private than when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/private-property-is-a-necessary-institution-at-least-in-a-fallen/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [Clever men are impressed in their differences from their fellows. Wise men are conscious of their resemblance to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/clever-men-are-impressed-in-their-differences-from-their-fellows-wise/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [ Too often, contemning the external order as unspiritual, \[the Puritan\] has made it, and ultimately himself, less spiritual by reason of his contempt. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/too-often-contemning-the-external-order-as-unspiritual-the-puritan/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [A reasonable estimate of economic organisation must allow for the fact that, unless industry is to be paralysed by recurrent revolts on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/a-reasonable-estimate-of-economic-organisation-must-allow-for-the/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [Virtues are often conquered by vices, but their rout is most complete when it is inflicted by other virtues, more militant, more efficient, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/virtues-are-often-conquered-by-vices-but-their-rout-is-most-complete/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [The characteristic virtue of Englishmen is power of sustained practical activity and their characteristic vice a reluctance to test the quality of that activity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/the-characteristic-virtue-of-englishmen-is-power-of-sustained/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [An erring colleague is not an Amalkite to be smitten hip and thigh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/an-erring-colleague-is-not-an-amalkite-to-be-smitten-hip-and-thigh/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [It is probable that democracy owes more to nonconformity than to any other single movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/it-is-probable-that-democracy-owes-more-to-nonconformity-than-to-any/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [If a man has important work, and enough leisure and income to enable him to do it properly, he is in possession of as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/if-a-man-has-important-work-and-enough-leisure-and-income-to-enable/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [By a kind of happy pre-established harmony, such as a later age discovered between the needs of society and the self-interest of the individual,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/by-a-kind-of-happy-pre-established-harmony-such-as-a-later-age/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [“Granted, I should love my neighbor as myself, the questions which, under modern conditions of large-scale organization, remain for solution are, ''Who precisely is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/granted-i-should-love-my-neighbor-as-myself-the-questions-which-under/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [...and was disposed too often to idealize as a virtue that habit of mean subservience to wealth and social position which, after more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/and-was-disposed-too-often-to-idealize-as-a-virtue-that-habit-of-mean/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [When men have gone so far as to talk as though their idols have come to life, it is time that someone broke them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/when-men-have-gone-so-far-as-to-talk-as-though-their-idols-have-come/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

> [One of the main truths of all education is that if the young are not always right, the old are always wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/one-of-the-main-truths-of-all-education-is-that-if-the-young-are-not/)

[R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "ItemList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/englishmen/r-h-tawney/#itemlist",
            "name": "2 Englishmen Quotes By R. H. Tawney",
            "numberOfItems": 2,
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "The characteristic virtue of Englishmen is power of sustained practical activity and their characteristic vice a reluctance to test the quality of that activity by reference to principles.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "R. H. Tawney"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/the-characteristic-virtue-of-englishmen-is-power-of-sustained/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/r-h-tawney-25650_activity_the-characteristic-virtue-of-englishmen_653161.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/r-h-tawney-25650_activity_the-characteristic-virtue-of-englishmen_653161.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/r-h-tawney-25650_activity_the-characteristic-virtue-of-englishmen_653161.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“The characteristic virtue of Englishmen is power of sustained practical activity and their characteristic…” — R. H. Tawney",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "...and was disposed too often to idealize as a virtue that habit of mean subservience to wealth and social position which, after more than half a century of political democracy, is still the characteristic and odious vice of the Englishman.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "R. H. Tawney"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/and-was-disposed-too-often-to-idealize-as-a-virtue-that-habit-of-mean/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/r-h-tawney-25650_century_and-was-disposed-too-often-to-idealize-a_1677771.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/r-h-tawney-25650_century_and-was-disposed-too-often-to-idealize-a_1677771.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/r-h-tawney-25650_century_and-was-disposed-too-often-to-idealize-a_1677771.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“...and was disposed too often to idealize as a virtue that habit of mean subservience to wealth and social…” — R. H. Tawney",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "CollectionPage",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/englishmen/r-h-tawney/#webpage",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/englishmen/r-h-tawney/",
            "name": "Englishmen Quotes by R. H. Tawney",
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "mainEntity": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/englishmen/r-h-tawney/#itemlist"
            },
            "primaryImageOfPage": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/674/r-h-tawney-25650_activity_the-characteristic-virtue-of-englishmen_653161.jpg"
            },
            "description": "2 Englishmen quotes by R. H. Tawney. Plus more from R. H. Tawney and more Englishmen sayings from other authors.",
            "breadcrumb": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/englishmen/r-h-tawney/#breadcrumb"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/englishmen/r-h-tawney/#breadcrumb",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Topics",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Englishmen",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/englishmen/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 5,
                    "name": "R. H. Tawney",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/englishmen/r-h-tawney/"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```