Francis Quarles Quotes

Reform is a work of time; a national taste, however wrong it may be, cannot be totally changed at once.

Gradual, and not sudden emancipation, is better for all.

I am always for change. But I believe in slow and inevitable change and not a forced one, all of a sudden.

Realize that change - whilst we want it to happen fast - is usually the result of a great deal of work, and often comes as a result of a series of compromises (so long as we do not compromise our values).

I am a believer in change peu a' peu (little by little) since drastic changes, including lots of changes made all at once, are often the sort of modifications that don't stick.

People don't want to embrace culture shifts because it's not going to happen in the next 20 minutes.

Break any problem into, or make any changes in, small increments.

Nature herself has never attempted to effect great changes rapidly.

People want change but not too much change. Finding that balance is tricky for every politician.

Evolution not revolution

[Transvaal President Paul] Kruger … dribbles out reforms like water from a squeezed sponge.

… evolution over revolution.

When China’s leaders talk about reform, they mean go slowly and change a little bit as you go … you don’t want to change too fast or too thoroughly.

We continually evaluate the world situation, and we not infrequently make changes to aviation security. We either step it up or we feel sometimes we're in a position to dial it back, and so this is something that happens periodically, and people should not overreact to it or over-speculate about what's going on.

If, by demanding revolutionary change, I run the risk of accomplishing nothing on behalf of the public, then I'm not sure that's a responsible course of action.

Sometimes people start making a change with without making sure the first the first source of income sticks.

Making small changes every week over a few months will result in huge changes.

Everyone in a successful organization must be willing and ready to risk. Risk is like change; it's not a choice.

Good is done by degrees.

In time the savage bull sustains the yoke; In time all haggard hawks will stoop to lure; In time small wedges cleave the hardest oak, In time the flint is pierced with softest shower, And she in time will fall from her disdain, And rue the sufferance of your friendly pain.

Incrementalism ceases to be a good strategy when there's a cliff on the route.

Prudence therefore consists in knowing how to distinguish degrees of disadvantage.

Reform is a process, and not an event.

Should [reformers] attempt more than the established habits of the people are ripe for, they may lose all and retard indefinitely the ultimate object of their aim.