<p class="ql-align-center"><strong>We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. </strong></p><p class="ql-align-center"><strong>Our interests are eternal and perpetual; </strong></p><p class="ql-align-center"><strong>and those interests it is our duty to follow.</strong></p>

<h1 dir="ltr">Lord Palmerston <span dir="ltr">1784–1865</span><br dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr"> British statesman; Prime Minister, 1855–8, 1859–65</span><span dir="ltr">&nbsp;</span></h1><OL><LI>We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow.<div>speech, House of Commons, 1 March 1848</div></LI><LI>As the Roman, in days of old, held himself free from indignity, when he could say <span dir="ltr">Civis Romanus sum</span>; so also a British subject, in whatever land he may be, shall feel confident that the watchful eye and the strong arm of England will protect him against injustice and wrong.<div>in the debate on the protection afforded to the Greek trader David Pacifico (1784–1854) who had been born a British subject at Gibraltar</div><div dir="ltr">speech, House of Commons, 25 June 1850; see <a href="https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780191826719.001.0001/q-oro-ed4-00003011#Q-ORO-0003024" dir="ltr"><span dir="ltr">Cicero</span></a></div></LI><LI>You may call it combination, you may call it the accidental and fortuitous concurrence of atoms.<div>on a projected Palmerston–Disraeli coalition</div><div>speech, House of Commons, 5 March 1857</div></LI><LI>How d'ye do, and how is the old complaint?<div>reputed to be his greeting to all those he did not know</div><div dir="ltr">A. West <em dir="ltr">Recollections</em> (1899)</div></LI><LI>Lord Palmerston, with characteristic levity had once said that only three men in Europe had ever understood [the Schleswig-Holstein question], and of these the Prince Consort was dead, a Danish statesman (unnamed) was in an asylum, and he himself had forgotten it.<div dir="ltr">R. W. Seton-Watson <em dir="ltr">Britain in Europe 1789–1914</em> (1937) ch. 11</div></LI><LI>What is merit? The opinion one man entertains of another.<div dir="ltr">Thomas Carlyle <em dir="ltr">Shooting Niagara: and After?</em> (1867)</div></LI><LI><div dir="ltr">on being told there was no English word equivalent to <span dir="ltr">sensibilité</span>:</div>Yes we have. Humbug.<div>attributed</div></LI><LI>Die, my dear Doctor, that's the last thing I shall do!<div dir="ltr">last words; E. Latham <em dir="ltr">Famous Sayings and their Authors</em> (1904)</div></LI></OL>

A quote by a British statesman that applies well beyond politics and is often quoted as “there are no eternal allies and no eternal enemies, only eternal interests”.

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Lord Palmerston  1784–1865  British statesman; Prime Minister, 1855–8, 1859–65

<ol><li>We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow.<div>speech, House of Commons, 1 March 1848 </div> </li><li>As the Roman, in days of old, held himself free from indignity, when he could say <span>Civis Romanus sum </span>; so also a British subject, in whatever land he may be, shall feel confident that the watchful eye and the strong arm of England will protect him against injustice and wrong.<div>in the debate on the protection afforded to the Greek trader David Pacifico (1784–1854) who had been born a British subject at Gibraltar </div><div>speech, House of Commons, 25 June 1850; see <a href="https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780191826719.001.0001/q-oro-ed4-00003011#Q-ORO-0003024"><span>Cicero </span> </a> </div> </li><li>You may call it combination, you may call it the accidental and fortuitous concurrence of atoms.<div>on a projected Palmerston–Disraeli coalition </div><div>speech, House of Commons, 5 March 1857 </div> </li><li>How d'ye do, and how is the old complaint?<div>reputed to be his greeting to all those he did not know </div><div>A. West <em>Recollections </em>(1899) </div> </li><li>Lord Palmerston, with characteristic levity had once said that only three men in Europe had ever understood [the Schleswig-Holstein question], and of these the Prince Consort was dead, a Danish statesman (unnamed) was in an asylum, and he himself had forgotten it.<div>R. W. Seton-Watson <em>Britain in Europe 1789–1914 </em>(1937) ch. 11 </div> </li><li>What is merit? The opinion one man entertains of another.<div>Thomas Carlyle <em>Shooting Niagara: and After? </em>(1867) </div> </li><li><div>on being told there was no English word equivalent to <span>sensibilité </span>: </div>Yes we have. Humbug.<div>attributed </div> </li><li>Die, my dear Doctor, that's the last thing I shall do!<div>last words; E. Latham <em>Famous Sayings and their Authors </em>(1904) </div> </li> </ol>

On Allies and Enemies | Lord Palmerston

LORD PALMERSTON

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