George Savile

George Savile – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Learn about Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet (1726–1784), an English politician with liberal views, defender of religious relief, and author of sharp reflections. Discover his biography, political legacy, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet, was a British statesman known for his liberal principles, advocacy of religious tolerance, and incisive observations on law, politics, and human nature. Though less famous today, Savile’s influence in the Parliament of his time, his writings, and his wit earned him respect from contemporaries like Edmund Burke. In this article we examine his life, political work, personality, and enduring maxims.

Early Life and Family

George Savile was born 18 July 1726 at Savile House, London, as the only son of Sir George Savile, 7th Baronet and Mary Pratt. 1743, he succeeded his father to become the 8th Baronet.

He was educated at Queens’ College, Cambridge. Thornhill (Yorkshire) and Rufford (Nottinghamshire), and George’s upbringing was within the gentry class.

Though he inherited wealth, Savile remained unmarried. He died on 10 January 1784 in London and was buried in the family vault at Thornhill.

Political Career and Achievements

Entry into Parliament & Principles

Savile entered Parliament in 1759, being returned unopposed for the county of Yorkshire in a by-election. 1783, when he resigned.

In Parliament, Savile championed liberal causes. He supported relief for Roman Catholics and for Protestant dissenters, showing a generally tolerant posture toward religious minorities.

One of his more significant legislative initiatives was introducing a Catholic Relief Act, which contributed to the unrest culminating in the Gordon Riots of 1780.

Notably, he refused to take office in government, preferring independence over alignment with party machinery.

Savile was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, elected in December 1747. American Philosophical Society in 1768.

In 1783, feeling perhaps constrained by party pressures or disillusioned, he resigned his parliamentary seat.

Political Profile & Reputation

Savile was known for integrity, liberal moderation, and a refusal to engage in corrupt practices.

Horace Walpole noted, “Savile had a large fortune and a larger mind,” a compliment attributed to his combination of resources and intellect.

His estates eventually passed to his nephew, Richard Lumley (who later assumed the surname Savile).

Legacy and Influence

Though not a towering historical figure, Savile’s contributions had lasting value:

• Religious Tolerance Advocate: In an era when Catholic emancipation and dissenters’ rights were fraught issues, his efforts were relatively ahead of his time.

• Independent Politician: By resisting alignment with government offices, he sought intellectual freedom, a stance that later critics and admirers would note as admirable.

• Moral Reputation: His character—benevolent, just, sincere—was widely acknowledged in his lifetime.

• Wit & Aphorism: Savile’s many pointed sayings continue to be quoted, especially on law, liberty, and human nature.

Personality and Talents

From what we know:

• Principled & Independent: He preferred influence without the trappings of office, valuing liberty over power.

• Liberal & Moderate: His policies tended toward reform, inclusion, and easing religious strictures.

• Thoughtful & Reflective: His published reflections (and reputation for maxims) suggest a mind refined by thought and observation.

• Honest & Uncorrupted: In an age often marred by factionalism and bribery, Savile retained personal integrity as a core trait.

Famous Quotes of George Savile

Below are some of Savile’s sharper reflections (from Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Reflections and other sources) that have endured:

• “He that leaveth nothing to chance will do few things ill, but he will do very few things.”

• “A man who is a master of patience is master of everything else.”

• “Many men swallow the being cheated, but no man can ever endure to chew it.”

• “Anger is never without an argument, but seldom with a good one.”

• “If the laws could speak for themselves, they would complain of the lawyers.”

• “Malice is of a low stature, but it hath very long arms.”

• “Hope is generally a wrong guide, though it is good company along the way.”

• “The vanity of teaching doth oft tempt a man to forget that he is a blockhead.”

• “When the People contend for their Liberty, they seldom get anything by their Victory but new masters.”

• “Most men make little use of their speech than to give evidence against their own understanding.”

• “A man may dwell so long upon a thought that it may take him prisoner.”

• “A wise man will keep his Suspicions muzzled, but he will keep them awake.”

• “Men are not hanged for stealing horses, but that horses may not be stolen.”

These quotations reflect his concern with law, liberty, human foibles, and the tension between idealism and pragmatism.

Lessons from George Savile

From Savile’s life and his reflections, we can draw several enduring lessons:

1. Value Tolerance and Inclusion
   His advocacy for religious relief suggests that societies function more harmoniously when diverse beliefs are permitted civic space.

2. Independence Can Preserve Integrity
   By refusing office, Savile showed that influence need not always come through power structures.

3. Observe Human Nature Realistically
   His maxims often expose how virtue and vice mingle—that human beings harbor contradictions, and wisdom lies in managing them.

4. Use Words Carefully
   Many of his reflections warn of imprudent speech, the danger of rhetoric without substance, and the importance of being aware of what one says.

5. Moderation Deserves Respect
   Savile’s approach sits between extremes—he leaned toward reform, but avoided radicalism. In political life, moderation often sustains longevity.

Conclusion

Sir George Savile, 8th Baronet, remains a figure of interest especially to those who value statesmanship rooted in principle, moderation, and moral clarity. While his name is not as prominently remembered as many of his contemporaries, his legacy lives on in his recorded actions and memorable aphorisms.

His belief in tolerance, his moral reputation, and his skill with language remind us that public service can be shaped by character, not merely ambition. If you like, I can also prepare a curated collection of George Savile’s 50 best quotes with commentary, or a comparative analysis of his views with those of Edmund Burke. Would you like me to do that?