In choosing persons for all employments, they have more regard to good morals than to great abilities
 Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels (1726). copy citation

add
Author Jonathan Swift
Source Gulliver's Travels
Topic ability employment
Date 1726
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/829/829-h/829-h.htm

Context

“It is upon this account that the image of Justice, in their courts of judicature, is formed with six eyes, two before, as many behind, and on each side one, to signify circumspection; with a bag of gold open in her right hand, and a sword sheathed in her left, to show she is more disposed to reward than to punish. In choosing persons for all employments, they have more regard to good morals than to great abilities; for, since government is necessary to mankind, they believe, that the common size of human understanding is fitted to some station or other; and that Providence never intended to make the management of public affairs a mystery to be comprehended only by a few persons of sublime genius, of which there seldom are three born in an age:” source