Capricious Quote by Walter Bagehot
“Our law very often reminds one of those outskirts of cities where you cannot for a long time tell how the streets come to wind about in so capricious and serpent-like a manner. At last it strikes you that they grew up, house by house, on the devious tracks of the old green lanes; and if you follow on to the existing fields, you may often find the change half complete.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The English Constitution by Walter Bagehot, 1867
Law develops gradually, shaped by many small, winding changes like a city's streets.
In simple terms: Law evolves slowly and unpredictably.
Key Takeaway
Accept that change is incremental.
Themes
law
society
evolution
complexity
Mood
analytical
reflective
Type
observational
descriptive
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- legal reform
- policy analysis
- historical study
Key Concepts
institutional development
gradualism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do small legal shifts accumulate?
- What forces accelerate legal change?
A Different Perspective
Assumes uniform progress, ignoring abrupt reforms.
