フランス革命期の，恐怖政治が終った時,政治家で生き残ったのは,斬首されないようにすばやく意見を変えた,抜け目のない臆病者だけだった。その結果,政治家の中に将軍たちの秩序を保つ勇気のある人物はまったくいなくなり,軍部の栄光が二十年間続くこととなった。
During the French Revolution, when the Reign of Terror came to an end, it was found that no one was left alive among the politicians except prudent cowards who had changed their opinions quickly enough to keep their heads on their shoulders. The result was twenty years of military glory, because there was no one left among the politicians with sufficient courage to keep the generals in order.
出典:The advantages of cowardice (written in Nov. 2, 1931 and pub. in Mortals and Others, v.1, 1975
詳細情報：http://russell-j.com/COWARD.HTM
＜寸言＞
いつの時代も変わらない処世術。