--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The law is a great thing,--because men…" description: "\"The law is a great thing,--because men are poor and weak, and bad. And it is great, because where it exists in its strength, no tyrant can be above it...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/anthony-trollope-611_between-you-and-me_the-law-is-a-great-thing-because-men-are_1423108.jpg" --- # The law is a great thing,--because men are poor and weak… ![“The law is a great thing,--because men are poor and weak, and bad. And it is great, because where it exists in its strength, no tyrant can be above it. But between you and me there should be no mention of law as the guide of conduct. Speak to me of honour, and of duty, and of nobility; and tell me…” quote by Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/anthony-trollope-611_between-you-and-me_the-law-is-a-great-thing-because-men-are_1423108.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/anthony-trollope-611_between-you-and-me_the-law-is-a-great-thing-because-men-are_1423108.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/anthony-trollope-611_between-you-and-me_the-law-is-a-great-thing-because-men-are_1423108.jpg) > “The law is a great thing,--because men are poor and weak, and bad. And it is great, because where it exists in its strength, no tyrant can be above it. But between you and me there should be no mention of law as the guide of conduct. Speak to me of honour, and of duty, and of nobility; and tell me what they require of you.” [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Law provides order and limits tyranny, yet personal honor and duty should guide conduct more than legal mandates. **In simple terms:** Law restrains tyrants; honor guides actions. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal integrity over reliance on law. Themes law honor duty ethics Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political leadership - personal decision making - conflict resolution Key Concepts political philosophy morality Questions to Reflect On - Can honor replace law in society? - What are the risks of ignoring legal frameworks? A Different Perspective Law may be ineffective without moral commitment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Between you and me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/between-you-and-me/) [Conduct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conduct/) [Conduct Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conduct-speak-5045533/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Duty Nobility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty-nobility-5045534/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Guides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guides/) [Honour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honour/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-great-779498/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mention Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mention-law-5045532/) [Nobility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobility/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Tyrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyrants/) [Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak/) ## Related quotes > [This spirit of mob-law is becoming as great an evil as a servile war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/this-spirit-of-mob-law-is-becoming-as-great-an-evil-as-a-servile-war/) [Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/) > [My dad once said that in criminal law you see terrible people on their best behavior; in family law you see great people on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-wasser/my-dad-once-said-that-in-criminal-law-you-see-terrible-people-on/) [Laura Wasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-wasser/) > [“It is a truism among lawyers that the practice of law would be great were it not for the clients. 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That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/it-is-necessary-to-get-a-lot-of-men-together-for-the-show-of-the/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [“An accepted lover, who deserves to have been accepted, should devote every hour at his command to his mistress.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/an-accepted-lover-who-deserves-to-have-been-accepted-should-devote/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [Wine is valued by its price, not its flavour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/wine-is-valued-by-its-price-not-its-flavour/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [“(On Charles Dickens) It has been the peculiarity and the marvel of this man’s power, that he has invested his puppets with a charm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/on-charles-dickens-it-has-been-the-peculiarity-and-the-marvel-of-this/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [There is no road to wealth so easy and respectable as that of matrimony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/there-is-no-road-to-wealth-so-easy-and-respectable-as-that-of/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [I hold that gentleman to be the best-dressed whose dress no one observes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/i-hold-that-gentleman-to-be-the-best-dressed-whose-dress-no-one/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [But mad people never die. 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