--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A Whig is properly what is called a…" description: "\"A Whig is properly what is called a Trimmer - that is, a coward to both sides of the question, who dare not be a knave nor an honest man, but is a sort..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/625/william-hazlitt-326_both-sides_a-whig-is-properly-what-is-called-a-trim_2808053.png" --- # A Whig is properly what is called a Trimmer - that is, a… ![“A Whig is properly what is called a Trimmer - that is, a coward to both sides of the question, who dare not be a knave nor an honest man, but is a sort of whiffing, shuffling, cunning, silly, contemptible, unmeaning negation of the two.” quote by William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/625/william-hazlitt-326_both-sides_a-whig-is-properly-what-is-called-a-trim_2808053.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/625/william-hazlitt-326_both-sides_a-whig-is-properly-what-is-called-a-trim_2808053.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/625/william-hazlitt-326_both-sides_a-whig-is-properly-what-is-called-a-trim_2808053.png) > “A Whig is properly what is called a Trimmer - that is, a coward to both sides of the question, who dare not be a knave nor an honest man, but is a sort of whiffing, shuffling, cunning, silly, contemptible, unmeaning negation of the two.” [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A Whig is a cautious, indecisive political figure avoiding extremes, lacking firm principles. **In simple terms:** Whigs are indecisive, avoiding strong positions. Key Takeaway Commit to clear, principled stances. Themes politics moderation principles indecision identity Mood critical historical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - elections - policy debates Key Concepts centrism political theory ethical consistency Questions to Reflect On - How does moderation differ from cowardice? - When is flexibility virtuous? A Different Perspective Indecision can erode public trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Both sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both-sides/) [Called Trimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-trimmer-3500537/) [Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coward/) [Cunning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cunning/) [Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dare/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Honest man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-man/) [Knaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knaves/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Negation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negation/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Shuffling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shuffling/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Trimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trimmer-3500538/) [Trimmer Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trimmer-coward-3500535/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Whig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whig-313490/) [Whig Properly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whig-properly-3500536/) ## Related quotes > [Remember that Abraham Lincoln was a Whig far longer than he was a Republican. As a whole, the Whigs looked upon banks and corporations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/remember-that-abraham-lincoln-was-a-whig-far-longer-than-he-was-a/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [Lincoln was a modernizer, so to speak. He believed in economic development. As a Whig before the war he favored what we would call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-foner/lincoln-was-a-modernizer-so-to-speak-he-believed-in-economic/) [Eric Foner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-foner/) > [“Most American ideas were a part of the great tradition of the eighteenth-century common-wealthmen, the radical Whig ideology that arose from a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-middlekauff/most-american-ideas-were-a-part-of-the-great-tradition-of-the/) [Robert Middlekauff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-middlekauff/) > [The Whig interpretation of history ... is the tendency in many historians to write on the side of Protestants and Whigs, to praise revolutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-butterfield/the-whig-interpretation-of-history-is-the-tendency-in-many-historians/) [Herbert Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-butterfield/) > [I have always been an old-line Henry Clay Whig.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-have-always-been-an-old-line-henry-clay-whig/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am neither a Whig nor Tory. My politics are described in one word and that word is England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/i-am-neither-a-whig-nor-tory-my-politics-are-described-in-one-word/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [I have always said, the first Whig was the Devil~](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/i-have-always-said-the-first-whig-was-the-devil/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Now one was either Tory or Whig; it was either dependence or independence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caesar-rodney/now-one-was-either-tory-or-whig-it-was-either-dependence-or/) [Caesar Rodney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caesar-rodney/) > [The sickly, weakly, timid man fears the people, and is a Tory by nature. The healthy, strong and bold cherishes them, and is formed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-sickly-weakly-timid-man-fears-the-people-and-is-a-tory-by-nature/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The same political parties which now agitiate the US have existed through all time. And in fact the terms of whig and tory belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-same-political-parties-which-now-agitiate-the-us-have-existed/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [We should not care much whether those thus united (against slavery) were designated 'Whig,' 'Free Democrat' or something else; though we think some simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-greeley/we-should-not-care-much-whether-those-thus-united-against-slavery/) [Horace Greeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-greeley/) > [A Tory..., since the revolution, may be defined in a few words, to be a lover of monarchy, though without abandoning liberty; anda partizan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/a-tory-since-the-revolution-may-be-defined-in-a-few-words-to-be-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [The division into whig and tory is founded in the nature of men; the weakly and nerveless, the rich and the corrupt, seeing more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-division-into-whig-and-tory-is-founded-in-the-nature-of-men-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The parties of Whig and Tory are those of nature. They exist in all countries, whether called by these names or by those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-parties-of-whig-and-tory-are-those-of-nature-they-exist-in-all/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The more I learn about the evolution of ideas, the more I have become aware that I am simply an unrepentant Old Whig-with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/the-more-i-learn-about-the-evolution-of-ideas-the-more-i-have-become/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) ## More by William Hazlitt > [First impressions are often the truest, as we find (not infrequently) to our cost, when we have been wheedled out of them by plausible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/first-impressions-are-often-the-truest-as-we-find-not-infrequently-to/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-art-of-life-is-to-know-how-to-enjoy-a-little-and-to-endure-very/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are thankful for good-will rather than for services, for the motive than the quantum of favor received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-thankful-for-good-will-rather-than-for-services-for-the-motive/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The discussing the characters and foibles of common friends is a great sweetness and cement of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-discussing-the-characters-and-foibles-of-common-friends-is-a/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Want of principle is power. Truth and honesty set a limit to our efforts, which impudence and hypocrisy easily overleap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/want-of-principle-is-power-truth-and-honesty-set-a-limit-to-our/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Repose is as necessary in conversation as in a picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/repose-is-as-necessary-in-conversation-as-in-a-picture/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [No act terminating in itself constitutes greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/no-act-terminating-in-itself-constitutes-greatness/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Vice is man's nature: virtue is a habit--or a mask.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/vice-is-man-s-nature-virtue-is-a-habit-or-a-mask/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We never do anything well till we cease to think about the manner doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-never-do-anything-well-till-we-cease-to-think-about-the-manner/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/man-is-the-only-animal-that-laughs-and-weeps-for-he-is-the-only/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Those who have had none of the cares of this life to harass and disturb them, have been obliged to have recourse to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/those-who-have-had-none-of-the-cares-of-this-life-to-harass-and/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never despicable, but takes an heroical aspect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/poverty-when-it-is-voluntary-is-never-despicable-but-takes-an/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [We are not satisfied to be right, unless we can prove others to be quite wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/we-are-not-satisfied-to-be-right-unless-we-can-prove-others-to-be/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The world judge of men by their ability in their profession, and we judge of ourselves by the same test: for it is on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-world-judge-of-men-by-their-ability-in-their-profession-and-we/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [The best part of our lives we pass in counting on what is to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-best-part-of-our-lives-we-pass-in-counting-on-what-is-to-come/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) [Explore all 671 William Hazlitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) ## More Both sides quotes > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Some of the folks on both sides might be sincere, but it does seem as if it is only the opposition that cares about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/some-of-the-folks-on-both-sides-might-be-sincere-but-it-does-seem-as/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [There's no way to have a peace agreement unless the mediator or negotiator looks at both sides from an equal basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-way-to-have-a-peace-agreement-unless-the-mediator-or/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [It's almost inevitable there's going to be an escalation on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-luther/it-s-almost-inevitable-there-s-going-to-be-an-escalation-on-both-sides/) [Bill Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-luther/) > [I have yet to see someone attack Obama over his report card. A lot of people I talk to from both sides of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/i-have-yet-to-see-someone-attack-obama-over-his-report-card-a-lot-of/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [I have an office full of product from brands trying to be in videos and an inbox full of songs from artists, but at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-kluger/i-have-an-office-full-of-product-from-brands-trying-to-be-in-videos/) [Adam Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-kluger/) > [I am like all other atheists only in that I do not believe there are any gods. Beyond that, I may differ dramatically in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-carrier/i-am-like-all-other-atheists-only-in-that-i-do-not-believe-there-are/) [Richard Carrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-carrier/) > [When the war ends, it will be found that there was an equal amount of 'thuggery' practiced on both sides, that terrible things were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-jones/when-the-war-ends-it-will-be-found-that-there-was-an-equal-amount-of/) [Rufus Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-jones/) > [I find that Americans are all in the middle somewhere, except for the extreme nuts, and extreme nuts on both sides are the loudest.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/i-find-that-americans-are-all-in-the-middle-somewhere-except-for-the/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [My family was musical on both sides. My father's family had a famous flautist and a classical pianist. My mother won a contest to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/my-family-was-musical-on-both-sides-my-father-s-family-had-a-famous/) [Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/) > [I come from a long line of saloon keepers and proselytizers, and I draw from both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-huntsman-jr/i-come-from-a-long-line-of-saloon-keepers-and-proselytizers-and-i/) [Jon Huntsman, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-huntsman-jr/) > [I usually accept bribes from both sides so that tainted money can never influence my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-usually-accept-bribes-from-both-sides-so-that-tainted-money-can/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I really like seeing players like Ousmane Dembele and other players who can take corners from both sides and things like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-bellingham/i-really-like-seeing-players-like-ousmane-dembele-and-other-players/) [Jude Bellingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-bellingham/) > [I come from both sides of the spectrum: I grew up listening to hip-hop and R&B then learned how to make a track by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lotic/i-come-from-both-sides-of-the-spectrum-i-grew-up-listening-to-hip-hop/) [Lotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lotic/) > [ \[Albert Camus\] positions are sensed. So, naturally, those intellectuals who don't have that experience have difficulty in comprehending it. But I think it made… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/albert-camus-positions-are-sensed-so-naturally-those-intellectuals/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) [Browse all 597 Both sides quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both-sides/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A Whig is properly what is called a Trimmer - that is, a coward to both sides of the question, who dare not be a knave nor an honest man, but is a sort of whiffing, shuffling, cunning, silly, contemptible, unmeaning negation of the two.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Hazlitt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/a-whig-is-properly-what-is-called-a-trimmer-that-is-a-coward-to-both/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Both sides" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/a-whig-is-properly-what-is-called-a-trimmer-that-is-a-coward-to-both/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/625/william-hazlitt-326_both-sides_a-whig-is-properly-what-is-called-a-trim_2808053.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/625/william-hazlitt-326_both-sides_a-whig-is-properly-what-is-called-a-trim_2808053.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/625/william-hazlitt-326_both-sides_a-whig-is-properly-what-is-called-a-trim_2808053.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A Whig is properly what is called a Trimmer - that is, a coward to both sides of the question, who dare not…” — William Hazlitt", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "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": "William Hazlitt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A Whig is properly what is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/a-whig-is-properly-what-is-called-a-trimmer-that-is-a-coward-to-both/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/a-whig-is-properly-what-is-called-a-trimmer-that-is-a-coward-to-both/#breadcrumb" }, { "@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 } } ] } ```