I doubt whether patriotism can stand the wear and tear and temptation of the front benches in the House of Commons.
 Anthony Trollope, Phineas Redux (1874). copy citation

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Author Anthony Trollope
Source Phineas Redux
Topic temptation tear patriotism
Date 1874
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18640/18640-h/18640-h.htm

Context

“Even twelve months ago, when I was beginning to think of standing for Tankerville, I believed that on our side the men were patriotic angels, and that Daubeny and his friends were all fiends or idiots,—mostly idiots, but with a strong dash of fiendism to control them. It has all come now to one common level of poor human interests. I doubt whether patriotism can stand the wear and tear and temptation of the front benches in the House of Commons. Men are flying at each other's throats, thrusting and parrying, making false accusations and defences equally false, lying and slandering,—sometimes picking and stealing,—till they themselves become unaware of the magnificence of their own position, and forget that they are expected to be great.” source

Meaning and analysis

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